NEET MDS 2026 Stray Round: 110 Seats Across Nine Dental Specialities — Check Vacancy List Before Locking Choices

Candidates filling choices in MCC's NEET MDS 2026 stray vacancy round can now compare 110 vacant seats across nine specialities. The largest number is in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Microbiology, with 35 seats. Periodontology and Public Health Dentistry have 17 each. Together, these three specialities account for 69 of the 110 seats.

Specialty-Wise Vacant Seats

Where the Three Largest Specialties Account for 69 Seats

Three specialties dominate the stray round:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Microbiology — 35 seats
• Periodontology — 17 seats
• Public Health Dentistry — 17 seats

Combined, they hold 69 of the 110 seats — nearly two-thirds of the round's capacity. Candidates open to these specialities have comparatively more options, though institution and category still determine actual availability.

Key Dates at a Glance

Note: Registration closes before choice locking. Candidates must complete registration and fee payment by November 14 to be eligible for the locking window on November 16.

How to Use the Seat List Before Locking Choices

The speciality totals cover government dental colleges, central universities, and deemed universities. Each entry in MCC's seat list identifies:

• The institution
• The quota
• The reservation category
• The number of vacancies

Example: A candidate interested in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics should check the college and category attached to each of the 10 entries in that speciality before adding a choice. The 10 seats span multiple entries — they are not concentrated in one college.

Candidates should match their eligibility (quota and category) to each entry rather than relying on speciality totals alone.

Registration and Choice Locking: Steps

1. Complete registration on the MDS counselling portal by 3 pm on November 14, 2026.
2. Pay the fee by 6 pm on November 14, 2026.
3. In the MDS counselling portal, arrange the available college and speciality combinations in your preferred order.
4. Lock choices between 4 pm and 11:55 pm on November 16, 2026.
5. Save the locked choice slip after submitting.

Allotment and Reporting

MCC has scheduled the allotment result for November 19, 2026. Candidates allotted a seat must report to their institute between November 20 and 28, 2026.

Official Portal

Candidates should access the seat list, registration, and choice-filling modules through the MCC counselling portal for MDS admissions. [VERIFY official URL]

Given the November 14 registration deadline, candidates should begin the process immediately rather than waiting for the choice-locking window.