Dental Placement in St George

I have thoroughly enjoyed my WIL placement in St George, Queensland.

Through my placement I have become more independent and resilient, while also enjoying living and socialising with other healthcare students on placement. I have also experienced significant growth in my general practice dentistry skills. The relative distance from specialist  services meant I was exposed to a wider scope of clinical dentistry than in my metropolitan placements. My supervisors routinely mentored me through complicated procedures such as complex tooth extractions and molar root canals, increasing my confidence and comfort in challenging cases.

Being placed rurally has further cemented my career aspiration to provide dental care and treatment to a wide variety of patients throughout Queensland. I now have a much greater understanding of the challenges of rural dental care and its importance. I have felt very welcomed to St George and hence, have enjoyed feeling like part of the community. This is something I look forward to having the opportunity to return to in the future and will encourage my classmates to experience a ‘small town’ environment.

The WIL scholarship has allowed me to focus on providing the best dental care I can while also greatly increasing my ability to immerse myself in the the local community. The financial assistance has allowed me to focus solely on my clinical placement without the need to work a part-time job. This has meant that I can spend my evenings after clinic reviewing the day and properly preparing for the following day. It has also allowed me to study and reset on the weekends. Furthermore, the WIL scholarship has assisted me and my newly made friends in affording fuel for trips to the interesting and historical local towns. Finally, the scholarship has allowed me to enjoy a weekly meal at pub trivia each Thursday night. This has allowed me to enjoy the local community and meet new people. I thoroughly recommend that students take the opportunity to be placed in a rural environment like St George.