Oral Pathology & Microbiology
INTRODUCTION:-
The Oral Pathology and Microbiology Department provides oral diagnostic histopathology service with histopathologic analysis of biopsy specimens submitted. The post-graduate students are exposed to modern and sophisticated Diagnostic & Research Techniques like Immunohistochemistry and Research in Forensic Odontology. The Department possesses a highly precise diagnostic Haematological investigations using a Haematology analyzer and boasts of a Museum with a sundry array of models, hard and soft tissue specimens, and a compendium of rare cases of oral and para-oral regions. The Department has received grants from organizations such as ICMR and MUHS for research projects carried out by undergraduate students.

HOD: Dr. Ajit V. Koshy
The vision of the Department:-
To be recognized as a center of excellence in the field of academics, research, and histopathology of the maxillofacial region by encouraging critical and lateral thinking and promoting innovation, and providing meticulous diagnosis, to ensure optimal patient care.
The mission of the department:-
- To educate students towards the attainment of competence and proficiency in understanding the scientific process behind a disease condition.
- To provide outstanding learning resource material for the students to help them increase their understanding of oral and para-oral diseases their recognition, aetiology, manifestation, progression and treatment.
- To promote educational programmer to improve and sharpen the decision making, problem-solving and cognitive skills of students to identify oral and maxillofacial diseases with specific emphasis on malignant and potentially malignant diseases which has become essential due to the exponential increases in such conditions.
- To carry out research in microbial pathogenesis and immunology on basic and applied problems relevant to the maxillofacial region.
- To maintain exemplary patient care by utilizing the state of the art technology in the hands of compassionate and erudite faculty members.
Publications by the department:- 114
Special achievements of the department:-
- Dr Ajit Koshy is a recognized PhD guide and the Department has an MOU with Yenepoya University, Mangalore and Amity University, Mumbai. He was awarded the best PG teacher of the year by IDA, Pune and was conferred with the AIPGC 2011 certificate of honour on 8th December 2013.
- Dr Amisha Shah won the best paper at the First international and XVI National conference of IAFO at Goa on 28th-30th Sept 2018.
- Dr Dinraj Kulkarni has been conferred a Fellowship by the International College of Dentists in February 2022.
- The faculty encompasses two PhD students, Dr Dinraj Kulkarni and Dr Nasim Namazi who are currently pursuing PhD under D.Y Patil Deemed University and MUHS Nashik respectively.
- Dr Samantha Thakur is a Government certified Forensic Odontologist and has been a guest speaker and resource person for Hands-on at several Regional and National CDEs, workshops and conferences.
- Faculties Dr Samantha Thakur and Dr Dinraj Kulkarni have authorship achievements. Dr Samantha has contributed chapters to Textbooks of Forensic medicine and Oral Diagnosis, Medicine and Radiology and Dr Dinraj has authored a series of MCQ books.
- An undergraduate student Mr Osama Ahmed won best work model under the guidance of Dr Ajit Koshy on the topic Sequalae of Dental caries at UDAAN, World dental Show at BKC, Mumbai on 18th -20th Oct 2019.
- The Department successfully conducted the first UG State summit from 5th – 7th July 2021 with guest speakers from around the world.
Services provided by the department:-
An array of tests are performed in the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology which include:
- Blood analysis
- Metabolic Panel
- Lipid Panel and culture
- Oncopathology
- Cytopathology