The First Dental College of India was established in Calcutta presently Kolkata by Dr. Rafiuddin Ahmad, in the year 1924. It was then called Calcutta Dental College and Hospital and was constructed single handedly by him without any government aid. He donated his college to the Government of Bengal and served as the Principal from 1920 to 1950. Incidentally it was the first Dental College to be established in Asia. After his death the college was renamed after him as Rafiuddin Ahmad Dental College.
Dr. Rafiuddin's philosophy of education was
“Education is the responsibility of the state, but if nobody is willing to carry the cross, I will for as long as I can.”In the year 1925 he founded the Bengal Dental Association and served as the President of Dental Council Of India from 1954 to 1958. The Indian Government awarded Padma Bhushan for his contributions in the filed of dentistry. He was awarded Fellowships of International College Of Dentists, Fellowship Of Royal College Of Surgeons and Fellow Of Pierre Fauchard Academy. Today he is remembered as the Nestor and Dean Of Dentistry, Dental Education and the Dental Profession in India. He published the first textbook of Operative Dentistry. He started the Indian Dental Journal as well. He was the editor of various reputed international journals. He left for heavenly abode on 18 January 1965.