La Trobe Rural Health School students Dona, Sarah and Jahanvi worked alongside experienced dentists, developing their clinical skills while delivering patient-centred care to people across the Sunraysia region.
The placement provided the students with an opportunity to experience the rewards and challenges of practising in rural Victoria, while building confidence in diagnosing, treating and supporting patients with a wide range of oral health needs.
For fifth-year dentistry student Dona (pictured), the Mildura placement was the latest in a series of regional experiences that have shaped her approach to patient care.
"I've been lucky to do my public dental placements across Bendigo, Melton, Wonthaggi and now Mildura, working with regional communities," Dona said.
"The biggest thing these placements have taught me is how much dental anxiety people carry, often from past trauma or difficult experiences. It's made me really want to help patients work through that fear of the dentist at their own pace.
"I've also seen first-hand the barriers regional people face. Some travel hours just to reach a dentist, and that lack of access shows in their oral health. It's given me a lot of respect for the communities I've worked with, and it's shaped where I want to take my career.
"I want to support people who don't always have easy access to care, and make the experience a bit gentler for those who find it hard."
Fellow Bachelor of Dental Science student Sarah said the placement built on the practical learning experiences that have been a defining feature of her degree.
"What I've enjoyed most about the course is the hands-on learning from the very beginning," Sarah said.
"I'm a very practical learner, so having clinical experience from week one really suited the way I learn. It also reinforced my confidence that I had chosen the right career while giving me plenty of time to develop my clinical and practical skills.
"Another highlight has been the support we receive from our clinical educators. They create a really encouraging learning environment, providing guidance when needed while also giving us the independence to build confidence, develop our clinical decision-making and grow as future practitioners."
Fifth-year dental student, Jahanvi said the support of clinical supervisors had helped strengthen her critical thinking, clinical skills and confidence.
"Their constructive feedback after appointments helps refine my clinical techniques, improve my efficiency and build my confidence to manage patients independently," Jahanvi said.
"Our supervisors made time to discuss different treatment options and the reasoning behind them, which greatly enhanced both my clinical knowledge and decision-making.
"The placement also gave me a deeper appreciation for the positive impact regional public dentistry has on the community and reinforced my interest in working in public health after graduation."
Sunraysia Community Health Service has hosted La Trobe dental students on clinical placement since 2011, providing fourth and fifth-year students with opportunities to develop their skills while contributing to the delivery of local oral healthcare.
Sunraysia Community Health Dental Team Leader, Nola Fonua said the longstanding partnership was particularly important in a regional community where attracting and retaining dentists can be challenging.
"Hosting La Trobe students not only gives them valuable hands-on clinical experience, but also increases our capacity to provide oral healthcare to the community," Nola said.
"Our clients really embrace the students and regularly tell us how much they value their professionalism, kindness and quality of care. Our supervising dentists are equally impressed by the empathy, compassion and willingness to learn that students bring to their placements.
"One of the most rewarding outcomes of this partnership is seeing students enjoy their experience in Mildura and want to return. Several former students have come back as graduate dentists and joined our team, which demonstrates the lasting impact rural placements can have on building our local workforce."
