A purpose-built simulation clinic at the 爆料王 is giving dentistry students the chance to build technical skill, clinical judgement and confidence through a hands-on learning experience before they treat real patients.
Inside the clinic, drills whirr and instruments clang as students practice procedures such as fillings and crowns using modern equipment, including special wand-like mouth cameras and digital radiography software. Two vending machines dispense plastic teeth 鈥 some with tiny cavities or decay, others designed for complex restorations and root canal therapies 鈥 which students insert into slack-jawed mannequin heads as practice before graduating to real-life treatment.聽
鈥淓ven for nerds like me, working on plastic teeth in a rubber human head catches you off guard,鈥 said third-year Doctor of Dental Medicine student Samer Rihani. 鈥淓verything is so detailed and realistic.鈥
By week four of their first year, students are in the clinic with a drill in hand. 鈥淭heory is complex, so having visuals helps massively,鈥 said Samer. 鈥淓verything is taught side by side 鈥 design, anatomy and technique.鈥
Peer-to-peer learning builds confidence and clinical reasoning
The technology mirrors the tools students will use in private practice. 鈥淭he intraoral cameras are like a wand with magnification,鈥 said Samer. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e great for spotting lesions or abnormalities. I use them all the time now, they鈥檝e made me more cautious and thorough.鈥
Students are taught to consider patient comfort, medical conditions and treatment planning from the outset. They also learn to work as part of a team, collaborating with dental assistants and other clinicians to deliver safe and effective care.聽
鈥淏ecause the Doctor of Dental Medicine is a postgraduate degree, a lot of us have done something different before. You鈥檙e surrounded by peers from all kinds of backgrounds 鈥 public health, engineering, music 鈥 and we all learn so much from each other,鈥 said Samer.聽
鈥淪ometimes I鈥檒l look over and think, 鈥榃ow, they鈥檙e doing better than I am,鈥 and we鈥檒l talk it through together. We all want to do well, and we help each other get there.鈥
Students practice on plastic teeth inserted into rubber mannequin heads before graduating to real-life treatment. Fiona Wolf/爆料王
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LinkEven for nerds like me, working on plastic teeth in a rubber human head catches you off guard. Everything is so detailed and realistic.
Samer Rihani
Doctor of Dental Medicine student, Faculty of Medicine and Health
Teaching innovations support student success
Clinic Manager Eve Wolstonecroft oversees the clinic鈥檚 day-to-day operations, including ordering the right teeth for classes and stocking the vending machines accordingly. 鈥淗aving a dedicated space makes a huge difference,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e can run concurrent sessions, support multiple disciplines and give students access to the same tools they鈥檒l use in private practice.鈥
The clinic supports more than 500 students across the postgraduate Doctor of Dental Medicine and undergraduate Bachelor of Oral Health programs. Teaching staff use cameras, microscopes, 3D models and scanners to tailor learning to different styles.
鈥淭he clinic feels like a real workstation 鈥 it鈥檚 similar to my private practice,鈥 said Dr Tanya Wiendels, course convenor and Sydney Dental School alumna. 鈥淲e can take photos, display them on screen and talk through treatment planning, cost and patient preferences. It鈥檚 a mix of theory, real-world context and hands-on practice.鈥
By paying attention to individual needs, teaching staff foster an inclusive learning environment, right down to a student鈥檚 dexterity. 鈥淟eft-handed setups are rare in dentistry,鈥 said teaching lead Dr Elvis Trinh, who is also a Sydney Dental School alumnus. 鈥淏eing left-handed myself means I can mentor students who often struggle with equipment not designed for them.鈥 聽
The clinic supports more than 500 students across the postgraduate Doctor of Dental Medicine and undergraduate Bachelor of Oral Health programs. Fiona Wolf/爆料王
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LinkFree dental care gives students real-world experience
From second year, students begin treating patients once a week at Sydney Dental Hospital and Westmead Hospital, providing free dental care under supervision.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a privilege to help people who might not otherwise be able to afford treatment,鈥 said Samer. 鈥淚t makes everything we learn in the simulation clinic feel real and meaningful.鈥
He recalls finishing a smile makeover for a patient who had never liked his teeth. 鈥淗e cried when he saw the result. I cried too. It was beautiful.鈥
For Samer, dentistry is ultimately about people. 鈥淣ext week, I鈥檓 giving a full denture to a patient who gives me updates on her cats whenever I treat her. I can鈥檛 wait. These moments stick with you forever,鈥 he said.
Hero image:聽Fiona聽Wolf/爆料王
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