Placement location the perfect fit for new dentist
For many of our JCU Dentistry students, capstone rural placements are the pinnacle of the five-year degree. For over four months, students receive hands-on training and significant exposure to a variety of cases, patient demographics and clinical settings. When you add in the opportunity for plenty of adventures amongst beautiful rural and Tropical backdrops, and it’s no wonder some students are so eager to return as graduate dentists.
Recent JCU Dentistry graduate, Shaili Thanki, completed her first rural capstone placement in Alice Springs, and it made a lasting impression. Now as a newly graduated dentist, she’s returning to work at the Flynn Drive Community Health Centre. She says the setting will be a perfect fit for her.
“I grew up in regional areas of Australia, and even before that in India, I wasn't a big city gal. I've always enjoyed living in a tight-knit community environment, as opposed to large, loud cities,” Shaili says.
Growing up, Shaili was inspired to choose dentistry because she wanted to help improve the health of rural and remote communities. When choosing universities, JCU stood out for one big reason in particular.
“JCU’s biggest selling point to me was the fifth-year capstone placements. I had a few friends who were completing the course before me, and I loved hearing their stories from places like Thursday Island, Alice Springs and Tasmania. Their experiences resonated with my career goals as a dental practitioner,” Shaili says.
“One of the main reasons I wanted to go into the health profession was to serve those underserved communities, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. When I did my first placement in Alice Springs, it was exactly what I was looking for out of dentistry, and I left saying ‘I absolutely want to come back here’” Shaili says.
An unforgettably unique placement experience
One of the best elements of the capstone placement, according to Shaili, is the extended length of time that students spend at their hospital or clinic locations. During her final year at JCU, Shaili spent 18 weeks in Alice Springs and 16 weeks in Hobart.
“If you were on a shorter placement of four or five weeks, you just wouldn’t get to experience any sort of continuity of care. Being there for four months or more means you might see the same patient multiple times as part of a planned or ongoing treatment. It’s really rewarding to be there for the treatment you’ve planned and to actually see it through, and hopefully give the patient the best outcome.”
Shaili says the two placements offered vastly different training experiences that have been equally helpful in growing her clinical skills.
“In Alice Springs, you see patients at a very late stage of disease progression. As part of the placement, I had the opportunity to assist with surgical procedures within those facilities. During that time I felt like I was growing a lot as a clinician because I was able to experience procedures that may not have been available in a metropolitan area. It pushes you that bit more as a professional.”
“In Hobart, we still saw many patients with significant dental decay. The other thing that struck me is how long some patients were on oral surgery waiting lists. Even somewhere close to a major city like Hobart, there is still a major need for oral health services to be more accessible.”
“To be in a position where you're learning while providing services to those who truly need them is an absolute privilege.”
Shaili Thanki, JCU graduate dentist.
Ready for the real world
Graduating in December 2022, Shaili looked back on five intense and rewarding years of undergraduate study and reflected on some of her key learnings.
“If I was to go back in time to talk to first-year Shaili I would say focus on finding a balance between study and life, and to be proud of what you achieve along the way. Also, remember that perfectionism can be a blessing and a curse!” Shaili says.
With over 2,000 clinical placement hours, honing clinical skills is a clear focus for JCU’s dentistry program, but so too is developing strong communication skills to interact with and treat patients with varying levels of health literacy. It was a key part of what stands out about studying dentistry at JCU for Shaili.
“For anyone considering dentistry, I would definitely give them a nudge towards JCU! It’s just so much clinical experience and the exposure we get to a vast range of patient demographics and types of treatment that is just invaluable.
"Overall my clinical placements have given me a good insight into the real-world dentistry. I’m excited to begin the next chapter and head back to Alice Springs as a graduate dentist,” Shaili says.
Our JCU Dentistry graduates are work-ready and passionate to make a difference in rural and remote health. Read more about the impact of the capstone rural placement from Sowmya’s outback adventure on placement in Mount Isa or Michael Boctor’s unforgettable experience in the fisherman’s paradise of the Torres Strait.
If you are a JCU Medicine, Dentistry or Pharmacy student and would like to share your placement experience, please contact us.