Brewarrina Dental and Oral Health Student Placement Program

The Brewarrina Dental and Oral Health Student Placement Program is a Charles Sturt University initiative that improves access to dental care in remote communities while training future rural health professionals. Through supervised placements in Brewarrina, dental and oral health therapy students provide essential clinical services to local residents, working in partnership with Western NSW Local Health District, the NSW Centre for Oral Health Strategy and Brewarrina Shire Council.

The program helps address barriers to oral healthcare in remote communities while giving students valuable experience delivering care in rural and culturally diverse settings.

Key focus areas include:

Improving access to oral healthcare
Providing preventive and restorative dental care to residents in remote communities who may otherwise have limited access to dental services.

Supporting Aboriginal health outcomes
Working with communities that have a high proportion of Aboriginal residents to improve oral health and promote culturally safe healthcare practices.

Student clinical training and rural placements
Providing hands-on experience for dental and oral health therapy students in remote clinical environments under professional supervision.

Community partnerships and collaborative care
Strengthening collaboration between Charles Sturt University, local health services, community organisations and local government.

Oral health education and prevention
Delivering oral health education and preventive care to help reduce untreated dental disease and improve long-term health outcomes.

The initiative aims to:

  • Improve access to dental care in remote and regional communities
  • Support better oral health outcomes for Aboriginal and rural populations
  • Provide meaningful clinical training for future rural health professionals
  • Strengthen partnerships between universities, health services and local communities
  • Encourage graduates to pursue careers in rural and remote healthcare.