Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has recently announced that the Dental College, Shimla, will be renamed as Rajiv Gandhi Dental College, Shimla, while also unveiling plans to establish a Rs 300 crore Dental Health Research Centre in Hamirpur.

The announcements were made while inaugurating the 4th Annual Conference of the Himachal Pradesh State Chapter of the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India (AOMSI).

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, said that oral and maxillofacial surgeons play a vital role not only in treating patients but also in restoring their confidence and improving their quality of life. He said that the conference would prove to be an important step towards improving healthcare services for the people.

According to a press release, he also announced that a Dental Health Research Centre would be established in Hamirpur at a cost of Rs 300 crore. He said the new research centre would create employment opportunities and provide people with better and more advanced dental treatment facilities.

Sukhu said, as quoted by ANI, "The state government was bringing major improvements to the healthcare sector and these efforts were already showing positive results."

He said that only a few years ago it would have been difficult to imagine government hospitals in Himachal offering advanced facilities such as robotic surgery and 3-Tesla MRI technology.

The government was now working to introduce modern medical technology and advanced healthcare facilities in all medical colleges as well as district hospitals, so that people could receive high-quality and affordable treatment closer to their homes without having to travel to other states.

Source: Medical Dialogues – July 20, 2026