Community Outreach
It is important that civic universities like our own are not only world-class teaching and research institutions, but locally relevant, sharing their skills and resources in the service of civil society.
We serve our community with free dental treatment provided by our students. This takes place in the central Dental School and Hospital, and in a number of clinics around the city, including:
- Arthur’s Hill
- Byker
- Kenton and Walker
where our senior students bring much needed dental care to local communities.
Brush-up Group
Student volunteers also invest considerable energy and free-time in oral-health related community outreach. The School’s ‘Brush-up’ group has a full programme of events, engaging with schools groups, uniformed organizations, and community health initiatives such as Newcastle Sure Start to bring oral health and dietary advice, as well as information on careers in Dental and Oral Health.
The group also contributes to wider University initiatives, such as ‘Apprentice Students on Campus’, which introduces hundreds of primary-age school children each year to the University and the courses it can offer. In recognition of its commitment to community service, ‘Brush-up’ received a highly prized Santander national Community Engagement Award in 2011.
For more information on ‘Brush-up’ or other community outreach events, please contact John Whitworth.
Dental students in the community
Our fourth year students are encouraged to broaden their dental experience by spending an elective summer period working in a different environment at home or overseas. Many choose to support under-dentisted communities from the Amazon Basin to the Cook Islands, providing education and routine dental care, often with limited equipment and resources. Their experiences are life-transforming, giving fresh insights on the nature of service and the value of oral health.
