Dental students return to help boost care for local patients
The Far West Local Health District is once again welcoming final year dental students who will help to boost care for local patients during their six-week placement at the public dental clinic located at the Community Health Centre.
The latest group of dental students are the first round of students the Far West LHD has hosted since October 2020 due to the pandemic.
During their placement the students will experience public dentistry consultations and assist with various treatments, and the extra helping hands will also allow the Broken Hill Public Dental Service to provide additional clinic days, helping to reduce the public dental waitlist.
Dental students return to the Far West LHD (from left): Gurkaran Singh, Tony Lahoud, Dr Diana Mruk (Clinical Supervisor), Bahar Pouryosefi Kermani and Nishi Parikh.
Far West LHD Oral Health Manager, Karen Kennedy, said the LHD has been eagerly anticipating the return of final-year dental students and hosting them once again at the clinic.
“We are very fortunate to be able to host dental students again, where they gain valuable exposure and experience in a public dental setting,” Ms Kennedy said.
Ms Kennedy said the students gain valuable experience by working and living in a remote location (the Far West) and it hopefully will inspire and prompt them to return to the region to work there upon graduating.
“It’s also a very positive experience for everyone by hosting dental students. Student placements assist greatly in the reduction and management of public dental waitlists. The patients are happy to see the students and the LHD truly appreciates the work they do!”
The dental student program operates in collaboration between the Far West LHD, University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) and the University of Sydney, School of Dentistry with support from the NSW Health Centre for Oral Health Strategy.
A dentist engaged by the University of Sydney supervises the students. These supervisors are Dr Kate Jung, Dr Diana Mruk and Dr Peter Hill who have all worked at Community Health Centres treating patients as visiting dentists so are familiar with the facility and Broken Hill.