H.K.E. Society's S. Nijalingappa Institute of Dental Sciences and Research – Gulbarga, Karnataka is one of the pioneers in propounding dental education. Since its inception in the year 1986, this institute has stood out as an institution of quality dental education. Earlier affiliated with Gulbarga University, this too moved to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru in pursuance of carving a niche in quality dental education. The core objective of the institute is to train the dental graduates with ethical values so that they become standard bearing practitioners who are committed to the service of mankind.

The institute provides undergraduate and a host of postgraduate programmes in dentistry including the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and its Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) degree and its various streams. The college has a combined intake capacity of 126 seats across its programs which helps ensure that every student gets ample opportunities. The most popular among the courses offered by the institute would be the BDS program, which is 5.5 years long inclusive of an internship of one year, which is a requirement for the degree. For degree holders wishing to complete further specialization in MDS, the college also offers degree programs in Oral Surgery, Periodontics, Orthodontics, Conservative Dentistry, Prosthodontics, and Oral Pathology each of which lasts for three years.

S. Nijalingappa Institute of Dental Sciences and Research is greatly enhanced by the rich resources of learning and modern amenities. The college has modern labs, clinics, and equipment enabling students to practice in a real-life environment. This practical method of learning is supported by a faculty of qualified people who are experts in their respective fields. The Dental Council of India (DCI) also acknowledges the institute which shows their programs competent in delivering quality dental education in the country.

The institute does not only focus on the academic aspects alone, it also emphasizes on community service and outreach activities. One project worth mentioning is the community project where college’s staff and Mobile Dental Unit goes every month to Venkat Bennur village to provide treatment and check-ups. Such initiatives not only provide much needed medical help to the population living in such areas but also teach the students about social responsibility. The institution’s aim does not stop here as the college aims to use their education in medicine, information technology and material science to reach out to the people in India and improve the standards of dental healthcare in India.

S. Nijalingappa Institute of Dental Sciences and Research has succeeded in maturing to one of the top dental school in Karnataka. Its philosophy of education which includes, theory, practice and sociocultural aspects of community service fosters the development of future competent specialists. The institute is transforming and seeking to fit itself into the realities of the development of dental science, and therefore, the objectives to be achieved remain unchanged – it wishes to be a higher dental education institution of international standards. Given its long legacy, diversified programs and vision, the institute is aptly placed to redefine dental care in India and across the world.”