Minister opens new teaching laboratories at Bendigo

Victorian Health Minister, Daniel Andrews officially opened new 'state of the art' dental clinical laboratories at the Bendigo campus of LaTrobe University on Friday 20 March.

The facility now has three teaching laboratories, including two simulation labs with 31 seats and mannequins. Each seat is fitted with audio visual and information technology facilities to allow a demonstrator to provide a close up view of the work to be done, which can then be replicated by the students.

The Bachelor of Oral Health Science course commenced at Bendigo in 2006, whereas the Bachelor and Masters of Dentistry program started in 2008. The first dentists to graduate from Bendigo will do so at the end of 2012.

During the launch the Minister announced that a further 10 teaching chairs will be established at the Bendigo Health Care Group at a cost of $2m. These chairs will augment those already being established in satellite clinics at Mildura, Wodonga and Melton. This brings the capital investment in regional dental training by the Brumby Government to $14.5m. In addition, the Government also provides LaTrobe with $400,000 p.a. for pre-clinical training for 60 students and $210,000 p.a. in scholarships for 30 students.