The Government Dental College (GDC) is considered as one of the most popular and premier medical institutions in the state of Kerala and also in South India. The college is located in the district of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and it started its journey in the year 1959. The college was established in a period when there was only one Government dental college in Kerala. The college operated in a small block of the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram in its initial periods. However, it was shifted to its present premise in the year 1962. The college got independent status from the State Government of Kerala, in the year 1996. Since 2000, it is recognised as the centre for M. Ortho RCS Ed. and M.O.S RCS Ed. examination as well as Dip NB examination.
The Government Dental College (GDC), Thiruvananthapuram has been working with the main objective of serving the State of Kerala and also the nation. The BDS course offered by the college got recognition from the Dental Council of India (DCI) in the year 1962. The college started its journey with an annual admission capacity of 20 students. However, at present, it admits a total of 40 students in the BDS course, every year. The college offers many courses in different fields of dental science at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The college offers para dental courses to the students, as well.
In its initial period, the Government Dental College (GDC), Thiruvananthapuram mainly offered the undergraduate course of Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS). It started offering the para dental courses like Dental Hygienists Course and Dental Mechanic Certificate Course from 1962 and 1964, respectively. The postgraduate courses were started in the college from 1966. The college offers the postgraduate course of Masters in Dental Surgery (MDS) in different specialities of dental science. The course is offered in the specialities like Prosthodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontic Periodontics, Conservative Dentistry, Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Dental Mechanic Course and Dental Hygienist Course. The GDC, Thiruvananthapuram has also instituted a scholarship for research among the under graduate students during the period of 2000-2001. The college has been recognized as a PhD research Centre of the University of Kerala from May, 2007, as well.
The Government Dental College (GDC), Thiruvananthapuram currently has eight full fledged departments that are working for both offering dental education and providing treatment. All of the departments offer postgraduate courses to the students. These departments include the department of Conservative Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Radiology, Pedodontics, Periodontics, Prosthodontics and the department of Public Health Dentistry.
