Dental students will hone their skills while offering dental services for disadvantaged patients when James Cook University’s new dental clinic officially opens in Townsville.

JCU Dental is a not-for-profit organisation and all monies received are reinvested in the training of the future dental workforce.

The 18-chair JCU Dental facility, housed in the newly opened Clinical Practice Building, will be previewed to the Townsville dental profession today (January 29), and be seeing patients from Thursday (January 30).

While treating patients, students will gain experience in both routine care and complex dental treatments.

Professor John Abbott, Director of Clinical Dentistry at JCU, said JCU Dental Townsville was a student placement facility that aimed to enhance students’ clinical skills.

“JCU Dental aims to increase the students’ skills through excellence in teaching and learning in preparation for a life-long career encompassing clinical, academic and research endeavours,” Professor Abbott said.

Professor Abbott said students would be exposed to new materials and techniques to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to perform dentistry at the highest level.

Professor Abbott said JCU’s Bachelor of Dental Surgery had a particular focus on tropical and rural populations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“JCU Dental makes quality dentistry available to disadvantaged groups and addresses the high demand for dentists in rural and remote communities.”

Chair of JCU Dental, Clive Skarott AM, said he was “happy and excited” for the official opening of the 18-chair facility.

“This is an important day and it is part of our dental school’s commitment to training dentists for regional, rural and remote communities.”

“In addition, we hope to generate some enthusiasm from local dental practitioners to become involved in supervising students – there  is always a need for good supervisors.”

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The Bachelor of Dental Surgery at James Cook University is a 5 year undergraduate degree that provides you with the knowledge and skills you need to become a competent practitioner of dentistry. The university will be accepting applications for the February 2015 intake soon.

Contact KOM Consultants, JCU’s Canadian Application Centre. 

If you are considering becoming a dentist, think of studying at a Dental School in Australia.