Progress in Australian dental education: Rural outplacement for training undergraduates

Introduction: The University of Melbourne has developed a Rural Dental Outplacement program (RDR) to provide all final year students with an educational experience in a rural context. The RDR is embedded in the final year curriculum of Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc) and Bachelor Oral Health (BOH). The main component of the RDR consists of clinical training at the Integrated Rural Dental Service (IRDS) in Shepparton, Victoria.

Objectives: To describe the Integrated Rural Dental Service model and report students' perceptions of their experiences.

Method: A total of 70 Final year BDSc and BOH students spent 4 weeks each at the IRDS, Shepparton, as part of their final year outplacement program during 2006-07. Integrated Dental Service provision is a key component of the Strategic Plan for public dental health services in Victoria. The project involves integration of School Dental Services and the Community Dental Program, and establishing linkages with the broader health sector. Students experienced the integrated approach of patient management in a rural community. At the end of the roster students provided feedback of their experiences through a voluntary anonymous questionnaire using a 5 point Likert scale. Open-ended questions were analysed using two main themes: students' perception of the overall rural clinical experience and perception of their interaction with teachers, supporting staff and patients.

Results: The students responded positively to their learning experience at IRDS (Mean 4.56±0.58). The majority of students referred to the overall RDR experience as worthwhile in both their overall perceptions of the experience and in their interaction with staff and patients.

Conclusions: Students appreciated the wider range of clinical experience and the clinical supervision they received at a rural community oral health centre. The IRDS experience increased students' awareness to rural oral health issues and helped them appreciate the integrated approach of service provision.