Abstract:
There were 202 dental surgeons belonging to 3 batches of graduates awaiting government
appointments by May 1999. Seventy one percent were engaged in private
practice.Universities and defence forces were the other main sources of employment. A
dental surgeon's monthly income had a median value of Rs.13,800/=.Forty four precent of
dental surgeons were concentrated in Colombo district.At present non availability of
government employment is not a serious problem as the majority are gainfully employed as
private practitioners. In the near future the private sector will be saturated with the passing
out of new batches of dental graduates.Therefore non availability of government
employment will be a serious problems within next 3 years.Restriction of intake of dental
students to the university, introduction of a compulsory internship and provision of
incentives to those who wish to establish paractice in rural areas
