About GDCRI

Government Dental College & Research Institute as it is known today, was originally conceptualized as Dental college in Victoria Hospital, the largest hospital of the erstwhile Mysore state, in the year 1958. To begin with, this dental college was provided with facilities for an office and lecture halls at the Bangalore Medical College and the clinical facilities were made available at the Outpatient Department of the then Victoria Hospital building , the initial batch of 10 students were enrolled after after clearing their pre-professional course of one year under Dr. V R Naidu, Principal of BMC in 1958. These students were guided by few of the private dental practitioners viz. Dr.Venkataramaiah, Dr. Pani and others, ably assisted by dental technician Mr. Ganesh.

It was by the onerous efforts of Dr. Achimidi , Dr. R. S Padmanabhan and Dr. Saldana who were associated with the Dental Council of India that a separate Dental college came into existence. The Inauguration stone was laid in the year 1958 for Bangalore Dental college. With the mammoth efforts of Dr. Ramachandra, the ground floor of the present building was completed in 1962 and was inaugurated by Dr. Sushila Nayyar, Hon. Union Health Minister in 1964.
Dr. S. Ramachandra, a medical officer in Krishna Rajendra Hospital, Mysore after pursuing DMD from USA on deputation from government assumed charge as the first Principal in 1959. Few OTHER medical teaching staff Dr. C G Raju.

Dr. B. K Venkataraman, Dr. K. R Devanath and Dr. H R Narayan were also deputed for BDS in India and abroad during the year 1961. World Health Organisation selected the college under its WHO project in the year 1965, to give assistance with the objective of improving the dental education in India . Dr.A.A. Botero, WHO consultant form Columbia framed a new curriculum and syllabus incorporating subjects which were hitherto not taught but had immense practical implications like Anthropology, bio-statistics, Genetics, Nutrition and Dietetics, Preventive and Social Dentistry etc.

In the year 1967-68, the expert committee of WHO after visiting several institutions throughout the Southeast Asia, chose this institution as a centre to establish a Service clinic in the college with the intention to serve the community and cater to the oral health needs of the people especially rural population. The first Postgraduate course in Orthodontia was started in 1965 followed by Periodontia and Oral Surgery in 1967, Oral medicine, Preventive and Social dentistry in 1973-74 and Conservative dentistry in 1977, which were given the due recognition by the Dental Council of India. Simultaneously Dental Mechanic and Dental Hygienist courses were introduced in the college. Three new postgraduate courses i.e. Prosthetic Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Pedodontics were also started by 1991, thus completing the list of all the specialties for Postgraduate studies.

Dr. S. Ramachandra being a visionary got fellowship for the faculty to undergo training abroad. He also invited Dr. Pindborg, Oral Pathologist and Dr. Eschler (Orthodontist) Germany, Dr. Alex Alexander (USA) , Prof. Held (Periodontist), Dr. Vorango, (Community Dentistry) South Africa, Dr. Grefith, (Prosthodontist), Dr. John Hopkins, (Oral surgeon) England as visiting professors to teach the students.

The Institute celebrated its Golden Jubilee on 26.12.2008 with grandeur. The GDCRI alumni association has extended its support for the above activities whole heartedly. A good number of students who have graduated from this institution are occupying prestigious positions in academia and administration ,while many are with successful in private dental practices.

With the continued support of the benevolent Government of Karnataka and under the stewardship of able administrators, this college is expected to retain the reputed name and fame in the years to come.