Uni proactive in dental education

Monday, 15 August 2005

The University of Adelaide has injected $4 million into its Dental School and increased the number of applicants into two of its dentistry programs to meet a growing workforce shortage.

Professor Justin Beilby, Executive Dean of the University's Faculty of Health of Sciences, said this year the University had successfully bid for an additional 25 places - from 33 to 58 - in its Bachelor of Dental Surgery program to allow it to enhance its leading role in Australian dental education. It had also boosted its Bachelor of Oral Health from 20 to 30 places.

Professor Beilby said that the $4 million is being used to improve teaching facilities, recruit additional staff and for capital works over three years.

Demand for dental education at the University of Adelaide has created a shortage of dental chairs but Professor Beilby said this had impacted only minimally on students' clinical experience.

"We have already expanded opportunities for more chairs in regional South Australia and we are working with the SA Dental Service to establish 20 new community-based chairs in the northern part of Adelaide," Professor Beilby said.

"As a national leader in dental education, we are also establishing relationships with Tasmania and the northern part of New South Wales to provide further clinical placements for senior dental students."

The University of Adelaide has the only Australian dental school to have received the maximum five-year accreditation.

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