NATIONAL SPORTS DENTISTRY COMMITTEE (NSDC)
About Us
The Overlooked Role of Oral Health in Sports Performance
Good oral health is essential for maintaining overall health, and this is especially true for athletes. Even when an athlete is at peak physical fitness, poor oral hygiene can impair concentration and reduce performance during play.
In India, the last two decades have witnessed a significant rise in the popularity of sports, particularly contact sports. With more athletes now representing the country at top international platforms like the Olympics, the risk of sports-related dental injuries has become more evident.
However, these dental injuries are largely preventable with the use of properly fitting mouthguards, which offer crucial protection during high-impact activities. As awareness grows, integrating oral health into athletic training and injury prevention becomes increasingly important.
This too can be easily prevented by doing pre-season dental check-ups and preventive dental treatments in athletes. But there is lack of knowledge and awareness about all these things among the athletes, coaches, parents and even the dentists and other medical personnel. That is why, It is necessary to Introduce Sports Dental Care In India. For best performance of the athlete, It’s necessary that the athlete, coaches, parents, sports administrators and all the stakeholders understand the importance of including sports dental care for the athlete.
This is the main aim of our national committee which is the ONLY NATIONAL BODY REPRESENTING SPORTS DENTISTRY IN INDIA. It is said that “Mouth is the Mirror of the Body” so let us all come together to have a better oral health and hence overall health for the athlete.
Our Mission
- To conduct activities in sync with aims & objectives of ISSEM.
- To integrate Sports Dentistry into Sports Medicine.
- To provide standardized dental treatments and dental trauma care for Indian athletes.
- To provide Team Dentist at all levels.
- To educate and create awareness in athletes, parents, sports professionals and dentists.
Our Vision
- Make sports dentistry a nationally recognized speciality field.
- Serve as an apex body and develop and promote excellence in dental care for athletes from grassroots to elite level.
- Provide educational resources to both dentists & athletes.
- Conduct & promote research in sports dentistry & its co-relation with allied fields & publish research regarding the same.
- Promote mouth guard safety and reinforce its policies to athletes of all ages and across all low to high risk sports.
Oral Health & Preventive Dental Care
Key Features of Our Committee
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Only National Body
India’s first and only dedicated sports dentistry committee.
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Focus on Prevention
We promote check-ups & protection before problems arise.
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Awareness for All
Educating athletes, coaches, parents & Health Professionals.
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Custom Mouthguards
Encouraging use of sport-specific, well-fitted guards.
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Routine in Training
Integrating dental care in regular sports programs.
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Campaigns & Collabs
Nationwide outreach through events & partnerships.
NSDC Executive Committee
Dr. Sneha Divekar
Founder and Director, NSDC
Sports Dentist and Sports Nutritionist
Course Director – Masters Programme in Sports Dentistry
National & International Speaker on Sports Dentistry
Dr. Aditya Sontakke
Secretary, NSDC
Cosmetic Dentist and Sports Dentist
Life Member – IAACD, FOM
Dr. Riddhi Joshi
Treasurer, NSDC
Pediatric Dentist and Sports Dentist
Lecturer, Sinhagad Dental College & Hospital, Pune
National Sports Dentistry Advisory Board
Dr. Vivek Hegde
Endodontist
HOD Dept. of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, MA Rangoonwala College
Treasurer, Indian Endodontic Society
Dr Rajesh Raveendranathan
Neuromuscular Dentist
Owner – Rite Bite Chain of TMJ and Pain Clinics
President, ICCMO India Section
Dr. Shail Jaggi
Micro-Endodontist, Restorative and Cosmetic Dentist
Board Member and Past President, IAACD
Advanced Speciality Practice City Point Dental Care
Dr. Rajesh Kshirsagar
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, Member, AOMSI
Dean, BVPU Dental College, Pune
Extensively lectured on Oral Surgery
Dr. Jayesh Rahalkar
Consultant Orthodontist, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune
Visiting, Professor, Dept. of Orthodontics, DYP Dental College, Pimpri
Past President and Board Member, Indian Orthodontic Society
Dr. Sanjay Jain
Periodontist and Laser Specialist
Consultant at KEM Hospital
Faculty, Bio-Horizon Implant Program
Dr. Meenakshi Kher
Pediatric Dentist, Owner of Happy Tooth Clinic for Kids
Fellow, International Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
Faculty of CE Workshops Pedopathshala
Dr. Sham Bhat
Pediatric and Special Care Dentist
Dean, Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore
Fellow, ISPPD; Chair of Autism Board, FSCD
National Sports Science Advisory Board
Dr. Sachin Tapasvi
Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, Sahyadri & Jupiter Hospital, Pune
President, Indian Association of Sports Medicine
Medical Committee member, many national and international games
Dr. Geetanjali Bhide
Sports and Fitness Nutritionist
Secretary, Association of Sports, Nutrition and Fitness Sciences
Faculty – SIU, Pune and NIS, Patiala
Dr. Richa Kulkarni
International Sports Physiotherapist
Physiotherapist @ 4 Football World Cups
Owner – Kinesis: Sports Rehabilitation Centre
Dr. Subir Debnath
Senior Sports Officer,
Dept. of Physical Education and Sports, Malviya NIT, Jaipur
Level 2 Officer, International Paralympic Committee, 2018
International Sports Dentistry Advisory Board
Dr. Jan Chithalen
International Sports Dentist
Fellow and Board Member, Academy of Sports Dentistry, USA
Team Dentist – Hamilton Tiger Cats CFL Football Team
Toronto Rock Lacrosse & Brantford Bulldogs OHL Hockey Team
Dr. Stavros Avgerinos
International Sports Dentist
Founding and Honorary President, German Society of Sports Dentistry
Co-founder and Board Member of many International Sports Dentistry Organizations
Andre Judice
International Sports Dentist
Researcher and Assistant Professor, Post-graduate Program in Sports Dentistry
Egas Moniz School of Health and Science, Portugal
Ruta Turcinskiene
International Sports Dentist
Founder Baltic Sports and Odontology Association
CEO at MED Academy Lietuva
