The government of Tamil Nadu state in India is set to open its third government dental college and hospital in Pudukottai on 15 November, to be inaugurated virtually by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

The state's first government dental college hospital is in Chennai, and the second, Rajah Muthiah Dental College and Hospital in Chidambaram, was taken over by the Health Department.

Costing Rs630m ($7.56m), the new facility will have a faculty of six professors, 11 associate professors, 30 assistant professors, and 102 non-teaching staff, reported DT Next.

Accredited by the Dental Council of India in May, the college has admitted 50 BDS students.

The Chief Minister will also inaugurate new buildings for 17 primary health centres and subcentres in Pudukottai.

In addition, the state will inaugurate 152 health and wellness centres (HWCs), including 40 in Chennai, by December.

As per The Times of India, the state plans to open 708 wellness clinics modelled on Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinic in Delhi.

So far, 500 of them have been inaugurated, with 140 in Chennai city.

Minister said: “In Chennai, 200 centres in 200 wards were planned, of which 140 had been opened.

“Now, 40 more facilities are under construction, and works on 112 HWCs across the State are nearing completion.

“So, a total of 152 HWCs will be brought to use in a month.”

In the coming two months, the government is expected to open 100-bed community health centres, and seven primary health centres.

The dental college aims to improve oral health services in rural areas and create career opportunities for dentists, aligning with the state's broader healthcare infrastructure improvement efforts.

Health Minister Ma. Subramanian emphasised ongoing efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure and asked the public to participate in weekly special medical camps, assuring that dengue is under control in the state.