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Service-learning has become an important component in the education of medical and dental students around the world. Dental students at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, provide dental services to rural communities via the Phelophepa train or a Public Oral Health Facility (POHF). The Phelophepa train is a mobile primary health care facility offering dental, pharmacy, nursing, and medical services provided by health professions students. The objective of this study was to determine the impact this experience with service-learning has had on dental students. Final-year dental students in 2008 and 2009 participated in the study by completing a self-administered questionnaire. There was a 100 percent response rate (N=55) on the demographic questions and a 98 percent response rate (N=54) on the opinion questions. Students on the Phelophepa train performed more extractions and examinations than those at the POHFs. Most students (95 percent), both on the train and at the clinics, reported that their clinical skills and efficiency had improved, and 96 percent felt more aware of the communities' needs. Almost all the students (96 percent) reported that the experience had helped them define their personal strengths and weaknesses. Complaints they mentioned included large numbers of patients (87 percent), long working hours (60 percent), and equipment being inadequate (4S percent) or not working (40 percent). This program positively impacted these students and enhanced their personal growth and social responsibility by exposing them to the needs of rural and urban communities in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compulsory community service (CCS) was introduced into the health service by the South African government to address the shortage and maldistribution of health professionals within the public sector. The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of dental therapy students regarding CCS. A self-administered questionnaire was delivered to the two dental schools that train dental therapists in South Africa. There was a 64 percent response rate; 56 percent of the respondents were female. The aver- age age was 20.3 years. There was no difference in the variables between the two dental schools, so the results were combined. The majority (81 percent) supported the introduction of CCS and preferred to carry it out in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Most students opted to perform oral health promotional (64 percent) and clinical (15 percent) activities. By aligning these requirements with the current dental needs and priority strategies of the South African Department of Health, this support would add much value to the delivery of oral health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]