Bhubaneswar, March 30: Out of the 584 sanctioned dental doctor posts in Odisha, 396 have been filled, leaving 188 vacancies, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling informed the state assembly on Monday.
In response to a question from Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous, Dr. Mahaling stated that dental doctors are posted across all District Headquarters Hospitals (DHHs), Sub-Divisional Hospitals (SDHs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the state. However, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) do not have designated dental doctor positions, as no posts have been sanctioned for these facilities.
The minister also mentioned that the Odisha government has approached the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to recruit 124 dental doctors, referencing the Health & FW Department letter No. 10152, dated April 7, 2025. In response, the OPSC has issued an invitation for online applications.
Dr. Mahaling further noted that around 363 dental graduates pass out annually from both government and private dental colleges in Odisha. These graduates are appointed to various health institutions in the state through the recruitment process conducted by the OPSC.
