A Winter in India

Ludhiana is a three and a half hour train ride northwest of Delhi. It is the largest manufacturer of woolens in India and of bicycles in the whole world (Hero bicycles are made here). Ludhiana proudly calls itself the Manchester of India. It has recently seen a decline in its manufacturing because the neighboring state of Himachal Pradesh has tax benefits and many pharmaceuticals and other manufacturing facilities had moved to Baddi which is just over the state line from Punjab State

The Dental Conference Opening Ceremonies were India in miniature. It began as all India ceremonies do with the lighting of the ceremonial oil lamp which derives from the Marabharata where knowledge should spread from its source like light from a lamp. There were thirteen people on dais and there were speeches, remarks and other types of orations from all thirteen. Each speech began with formal acknowledgements of all the other twelve dais sitters, in order of their rank in the hierarchy (Honorable IDA President Bhagwan Singh [who is a dentist in Ludhiana, and thus was our official host. He is also who invited us to come and give papers]; Primary Guest Dr. Anil Kohli, Chairman, Dental Council of India; Guest of Honor Lieutenant General Paranjit Singh [head of all dental services in the Indian military]; and so on down the line. At least half of each speech was the listing of acknowledgements and then other content-free ritual words.

Only Anil Kohli gave a meaningful speech. He said that dental education must be standardized across all schools, all curriculum must be transformed from teaching-centered to learning-centered, methods must include critical thinking skills using case studies. We think that he has learned a lot from his daughter who teaches at Boston University Dental School, and maybe even from his nephew Erol Kohli (Bates Class of 2005). The Dental Council of India is the closest thing to an accreditation organization here. Dr. Kohli stated that his highest achievement in his first year at DCOI was the standardization of education expectations across all three major participants Dental Council of India, Military Dental Services, and private dental schools. He is trying to find a way of ensuring that private dental schools give a comparable education and that these students see enough patients to become competent.

At least one half hour of award ceremonies followed where each dais member and many other Indian Dental Society members received a beautiful crystal trophy and an engraved plaque. The awards went to recipients in the categories of Best IDA Regional Branch, Best IDA State Branch, and Best IDA Newsletter, Best IDA Member Below the Age of Thirty, etc. We finally broke for Five O’clock High Tea at 7 pm! There were Fireworks, a band and good food followed. Then we went inside for the “Cultural Program.” This was a combination of Punjabi Dancing by dental students (the photo of girls is dental students) and a Russian Dance Troupe that performed belly dancing, Bollywood and Hip-Hop Dances. There was also a HIGHLY dramatic lip-synched song and dance by the six-year old daughter of one of the dais dignitaries. She was very happy when we asked to take her picture afterwards and gave us this beautiful toothless grin! The finale was performed in various ways by the men of the IDA Organizing Committee and their wives who strutted their stuff, some with great élan and others hesitantly (see other photo of Dancing Dentists). The only unaccompanied females performed a modeling type cat-walk of beautiful saris. Looked like a scene from “Zoolander,” the movie, only female.
Dance competitions and fashion shows were also part of the Health Mela that our Dental College had put on in December.

The next day, each of us gave a talk as part of the scientific session. Pam’s was on her research on Genetics of Susceptibility to Alveolar Bone Loss, and led to some requests for papers. Dave’s was a big hit; he talked on Ergonomic Strategies to Mitigate Possible Occupational Hazards of the Dental Workplace: how to choose and use dental chairs and instruments properly to avoid back, neck and hand injuries. He said protective eyewear is a must. As far as protection of hearing, some researchers have recommended yearly audiology exams, but Dave said he gets his hearing checked every day by his wife. The audience appreciated the humor. ☺

All in all, Dave thought the scientific sessions were very good and the dentistry being featured was top notch, by dentists who work on Bollywood stars and on rich Middle Easterners who fly to India for their dental care. No one talked about public health or about preventive dentistry. Many talked about very high tech future approaches such as microarrays (for DNA tests) and three-dimensional computer modeling of stresses and strains in teeth.