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CSU unveils design concepts for Albury Dental Education Clinic




Charles Sturt University (CSU) will unveil the architectural design concepts for the proposed Albury Dental Education Clinic on Monday 12 March as part of its bid for $54.4 million in Commonwealth funding to establish a School of Dentistry and Oral Health in inland NSW.
 
CSU’s bid includes funding to construct three stand-alone dental education clinics on its regional campuses, including Albury-Wodonga, to provide dental students with practical clinical training.
 
University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Goulter says the Dental Education Clinics will provide dental students with access to an appropriate mix of patients from Albury and surrounding communities who are currently unable to access existing public and private dental services.
 
“Unlike medicine, dental and oral health graduates are expected to be ready for practice on graduation,” Professor Goulter said. “There is no ‘internship’ expected after graduation and before registration as a dentist or oral hygienist/therapist.  Supervised clinical experience, with students providing care for patients prior to graduation, is necessary to reach this level of competence. This requires the creation of clinical education settings where students gain experience by treating patients under close supervision by qualified dentists.
 
“The Dental Education Clinics have been designed to complement and supplement existing public and private dental services and will be developed in close consultation with existing dental practitioners,” he said.
 
“Our plan for dental education in inland NSW will rely heavily on the participation of existing dental practitioners in our regional communities in the clinical education program. The University will be offering opportunities for dental practitioners to work as adjunct academic appointments in the program.
 
“We are asking the Commonwealth Government to make an investment in the educational needs and aspirations of the people of Albury and its surrounding communities, as well as help to solve the rural dental crisis.  This state of the art Dental Education Clinic cannot go ahead without Commonwealth Government support.”
 
Charles Sturt University submitted a proposal to the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Mark Vaile, MP, on Wednesday 7 February 2007 calling on the Commonwealth Government to provide $54.4 million to fund the establishment of a School of Dentistry and Oral Health based in Orange and Wagga Wagga to address the chronic shortage of dentists and oral health workers in inland NSW.


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Media Officer: Wes Ward
Telephone: 02 6051 9906

Media Note:

The architectural design concept will be unveiled by CSU Vice-Chancellor Ian Goulter on Monday 12 March at 10.30am in the Thurgoona boardroom, Gordon Beavan building at Thurgoona, Albury-Wodonga Campus. The unveiling will be followed by a private briefing for local, State and Federal government representatives.

Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Professor Goulter. Images of the designs are available after the launch, contact CSU Media.

Download fact sheets above on the rural dental crisis and CSU's response to the crisis.

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