ALP announces expansion of Bendigo dental school
A media release issued by Premier Steve Bracks today, announced the expansion of the existing dental school at LaTrobe University's Bendigo campus, with the establishment of a new Bachelor of Dental Science course. The full text of the release follows:
"A re-elected Bracks Government will work with La Trobe University to establish a new dental school in Bendigo.
Under the plan, the Victorian Government would invest $14.5 million to establish the new dental school in Bendigo, and also fund an additional 30 dental chairs in new dental teaching clinics in Wodonga, Mildura and at the new Melton Day Hospital.
The initiative includes the construction of a $1.5 million pre-clinical teaching laboratory at La Trobe University in Bendigo.
Bachelor of Dentistry students will commencing in Bendigo in 2008 and will build on the current La Trobe University dental therapist and hygienist course.
The 30 new dental chairs in regional Victoria, plus 5 of the 10 additional chairs currently being built at the Bendigo Community Health Service will result in a 35 chair dental teaching facility that will, when fully operational, train up to 50 graduates a year.
The new dental chair facilities will be used by La Trobe University as clinical teaching facilities.
Once established, supervised students will provide dental services to around 13,000 patients in rural areas currently experiencing a shortage of dentists.
People living in Wodonga will have access to 10 new dental chairs, there will be 8 new dental chairs for people in Mildura and a new 12 chair unit will treat people in Melton.
There is a critical shortage of dentists, particularly in rural Victoria and this investment will help meet the challenge of providing all Victorians with public oral health.
The initiative also includes a Public Dentistry Traineeship Scheme which will provide financial assistance for students during their final two years of the five year program. In return, students will be required to work in rural areas for an equivalent period of time.
This is an innovative program to train and retain dentists in regional and rural locations.
There are less than 30 dentists per 100,000 people in regional Victoria, compared to more than 50 in Melbourne and providing first class dental health in country Victoria is a serious challenge.
Doubling the number of Dental Schools in Victoria, basing one in Bendigo and establishing the Public Dentistry Traineeship Scheme will provide a long term solution."
"A re-elected Bracks Government will work with La Trobe University to establish a new dental school in Bendigo.
Under the plan, the Victorian Government would invest $14.5 million to establish the new dental school in Bendigo, and also fund an additional 30 dental chairs in new dental teaching clinics in Wodonga, Mildura and at the new Melton Day Hospital.
The initiative includes the construction of a $1.5 million pre-clinical teaching laboratory at La Trobe University in Bendigo.
Bachelor of Dentistry students will commencing in Bendigo in 2008 and will build on the current La Trobe University dental therapist and hygienist course.
The 30 new dental chairs in regional Victoria, plus 5 of the 10 additional chairs currently being built at the Bendigo Community Health Service will result in a 35 chair dental teaching facility that will, when fully operational, train up to 50 graduates a year.
The new dental chair facilities will be used by La Trobe University as clinical teaching facilities.
Once established, supervised students will provide dental services to around 13,000 patients in rural areas currently experiencing a shortage of dentists.
People living in Wodonga will have access to 10 new dental chairs, there will be 8 new dental chairs for people in Mildura and a new 12 chair unit will treat people in Melton.
There is a critical shortage of dentists, particularly in rural Victoria and this investment will help meet the challenge of providing all Victorians with public oral health.
The initiative also includes a Public Dentistry Traineeship Scheme which will provide financial assistance for students during their final two years of the five year program. In return, students will be required to work in rural areas for an equivalent period of time.
This is an innovative program to train and retain dentists in regional and rural locations.
There are less than 30 dentists per 100,000 people in regional Victoria, compared to more than 50 in Melbourne and providing first class dental health in country Victoria is a serious challenge.
Doubling the number of Dental Schools in Victoria, basing one in Bendigo and establishing the Public Dentistry Traineeship Scheme will provide a long term solution."
posted by Eric Mourant at 2:55 pm
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