Message from the Dean Dental

On behalf of Santosh Dental College and Hospital under Santosh Deemed to be University, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you. I am honored to serve as the dean of this prestigious college. For decades, this college of dentistry has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading centers of dental education, Oral Health research and patient care.

I believe that our education mission is one of the most advanced and comprehensive in the nation. We brain a diverse student body in a challenging learning environment informed by cutting -edge scholarship, with a faculty of unsurpassed quality and reputation. A rising focus on inter-professional education means that our student gains a better appreciation of how oral health relates to overall health.

We value and promote diversity in our students, staff, faculty and patients. We seek to foster an environment of mutual respect with objectivity, imaginative inquiry through lifelong learning and the free exchange of ideas. Personal development, Professionalism and the highest ethical standards are foundational elements of our mission. Our greater goal is to improve the health and well being of all our citizens and reflect the best values of our Dental College and the nation

Profile:
 

Prof. Dr. Akshay Bhargava is the Dean of Faculty of Dentistry, Santosh Deemed to be University, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, leading academic and clinical excellence in prosthodontics, implantology, and digital dentistry. He was the Former President of the Indian Prosthodontic Society (2020–2021), the Founder President-Elect of the IPS Delhi-NCR Chapter (2025–2026), Former Scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Government of India, Section Editor of the Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society (JIPS), and Peer Reviewer for the International Journal of Dental Research (IJDR) for over a decade. A distinguished academician, clinician, and researcher, he brings over 25 years of teaching experience and 26 years of clinical practice in prosthodontics and implant dentistry. He is also credited with establishing the first 3D Printing Lab for Dentistry in North India. 

Currently, he also serves as Director Research, Dean – Faculty of Dental Sciences, and Director of the Santosh Startup Forum at Santosh Deemed to be University. In his leadership roles, he works at the intersection of clinical excellence, research strategy, and institutional transformation, focusing on building scalable and resilient healthcare and academic systems. 

Over the past two decades, Dr. Bhargava has led multi-dimensional institutional growth spanning clinical services, academic programs, research ecosystems, infrastructure development, regulatory compliance, and innovation frameworks. He oversees key domains including clinical ecosystem strengthening, research strategy and translational pipelines, academic and faculty development, and institutional governance — with an approach that emphasizes long-term system building, enabling institutions to scale with integrity and efficiency. 

Prior to his current role, Dr. Bhargava held progressive academic and leadership positions across several reputed institutions, including ITS Centre for Dental Studies & Research, Muradnagar (where he rose from Reader to Professor & HOD), SGT Dental College, Gurgaon (where he served as Professor & Dean), and ITS Dental College Hospital & Research Centre, Greater Noida (as Professor & Director-Principal). 

Dr. Bhargava graduated from Bapuji Dental College, Davangere, in 1992 and completed his Master's degree (MDS) in Prosthodontics, including Crown & Bridge and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, in 1995 from the same institution — an alma mater that later conferred upon him the distinction of Distinguished Alumnus in March 2016. He also served as a Former Scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Government of India, where he contributed to the development of indigenous dental implants, including the landmark INDIDENT™ project, which aimed to reduce the cost of dental implants and make treatment accessible to all segments of the population. 

He has over two decades of experience as a postgraduate teacher and has guided more than 70 research studies, including projects under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). He has also guided an ICMR Short Term Studentship (STS) project as principal guide, focusing on the role of a light-induced bioactivator in photofunctionalization and hydrophilicity changes in titanium implants. His broader research interests span zirconia, dental implants, dental materials, and biomechanical and structural analysis, with an H-index of 12, over 334 citations, 29 research items, and 6 active projects on ResearchGate. 

Dr. Bhargava is trained in advanced digital prosthodontic software platforms including ExoCAD, SUM 3D, and 3D Prosthesis design. A pioneer in dental technology adoption, he established the first 3D Printing Lab for Dentistry in North India. He has undergone intensive advanced training through the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) Maxi Course (2007–2008, 300 hours of hands-on implant training) and ceramic esthetics training at VITA, Germany (2008). 

He has authored contributions to leading textbooks such as Notes on Dental Materials by V.K. Subbarao and Basic Dental Materials by John J. Manappallil. 

He holds several prestigious fellowships and recognitions, including Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AFAAID, 2012), Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (DICOI, 2014), Diplomate of the World Congress of Implantology (DWCOI, 2016), Fellow of the International College of Oral Implantologists (FICOI), USA (2011), and Fellow of the International College of Dentists (FICD), USA (2011). In June 2021, he received the Principal of the Year award from the Institute of Scholars, and in 2025, he was conferred the Award of Honor at the Rashtriya Prerna Samman Samaroh for excellence in the field of education. 

In recognition of his contributions, he was also conferred the Dr. Ratan H. Memorial Award by the International College of Dentists, Section VI (India, Nepal & Sri Lanka) in 2014. 

Dr. Bhargava has played significant leadership roles in professional organizations. His IPS journey includes serving as President (2021–2022), President-Elect (2019–2020), Vice President (2016), and Elected Executive Committee Member (2012 and 2014). He served as Treasurer and Chairperson of Table Clinics at the 50th IPS Conference (2022), Organising Secretary of the 15th IPS PG Convention (2013), and Organising Secretary of the 2nd International Digital Dental Conference (2017). He chaired the prestigious Dr. B.C. Shroff Memorial Oration at the 49th IPS National Conference, Chennai (2021), and was recognised for chairing the T.M. Udani Oration at the 23rd IPS Post-Graduate Convention, Jaipur (2021). He has also served as Scientific Chairperson for the World Congress of Oral Implantology (2016), examiner for the Indian Board of Prosthodontics, and jury member for the Best Research Award at the Asian Academy of Prosthodontics. He continues to serve as Section Editor for the Journal of the Indian Prosthodontic Society (JIPS) and has been a Peer Reviewer for the International Journal of Dental Research (IJDR) for over a decade, in addition to reviewing for BMC Oral Health Journal and other national and international journals. 

In the field of digital prosthodontics, he is a trainer in CAD designing and has conducted numerous national and international certificate courses in implant dentistry. He has served as Programme In-Charge and Academic Counsellor for the IGNOU postgraduate course in Oral Implantology (2009–2015), as a speaker for leading CAD-CAM milling CNC companies, and has been appointed State Regional Coordinator for the national project assessing the safety profile of dental procedures in India. He has delivered keynote and guest addresses at numerous prestigious platforms, including the 1st and 2nd International Digital Dental Conferences, the 41st, 42nd, and 52nd IPS National Conferences, the 6th AAID & 12th WCOI Conference (2024), the 51st IPS PG Conference in Goa (2023), and the 27th IPS Convention (2025), among others. His earliest national presentations include a paper on Maxillofacial Prosthesis at the Indian Dental Association in 1998 and a paper on Three-Dimensional FEM Stress at the 18th Asia Pacific Dental Congress & 50th IDA, Bombay. 

Beyond academia, Dr. Bhargava has demonstrated entrepreneurial and advisory expertise. He founded and operated DentCeram Dental Lab, one of the early 3D-enabled dental laboratories in North India, for over a decade. He continues to provide clinical and operational advisory support in a consultant capacity at Raahat Dental Clinic, Dwarka, New Delhi. 

He has international exposure, having visited Africa, Germany, China, the USA, Israel, and several European countries — including attending the International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne, Germany — for professional collaborations and academic contributions. 

Dr. Bhargava remains committed to mentoring future dental professionals, driving institutional transformation, and fostering innovation-led healthcare systems that integrate clinical excellence with research and technology.