La Trobe University has officially unveiled its $21 million Rural Dentistry and Oral Health Clinical School in central Bendigo, enabling closer integration between teaching, research and placement to position students at the forefront of regional healthcare delivery.
The new facility, now located on Arnold Street within La Trobe's Clinical Teaching Building and adjacent to Bendigo Health, boasts 82 simulation workstations, 16 dental chairs, advanced radiology and digital denture-making equipment.
This increases La Trobe's capacity to admit 150 dentistry and oral health students each year, helping meet increasing demand for La Trobe's nationally recognised dental and oral health courses while ensuring students are practice-ready and can adapt to an evolving profession.
Victorian Premier and Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan said "this state-of-the-art facility in Bendigo will mean regional students can access world-class dental education close to home – helping to build the workforce we need, where it's needed".
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the redevelopment was part of the University's $170 million health innovation investment across all Victorian campuses to strengthen health education facilities and deliver high-quality care to communities.
"This facility will provide our students with a learning environment that mirrors real clinical practice, boosting their job readiness while also responding to significant community needs for qualified dental professionals across rural and regional Australia," Professor Farrell said.
"The location builds on our strong ties with Bendigo Health and supports the University's growing footprint in the city's CBD."
In 2025, close to 70 per cent of La Trobe's dentistry cohort are from regional postcodes, with more than three per cent identifying as Indigenous – doubling the previous year's representation.
Professor Jane Mills, Dean of the La Trobe Rural Health School and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Health Innovation Regional, said regional training was essential to building a sustainable dental workforce.
"Research indicates students from rural backgrounds are far more likely to return to practice in rural areas. This is why La Trobe's investment is so important; it helps break down barriers to access and ensures students can train close to home, using the best technology available," Professor Mills said.
"Our teaching and research programs are uniquely focused on improving rural oral health and this new facility will accelerate our impact, allowing us to deliver a better student experience while helping grow a skilled and committed workforce for regional communities."
Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) student Sophie Pisani chose to study at La Trobe due to the "extensive placement" opportunities in regional and rural settings.
"Studying and undertaking placements in regional towns has opened my eyes to the opportunities of rural practice," Sophie said.
"This is incredibly valuable in not only developing excellent clinical skills, but also the ability to see and treat a wider variety of cases before we graduate."
Sophie is in fourth year and currently undertaking a research project with West Wimmera Health Service, working with local communities to identify barriers to good oral health and co-design practical and preventative solutions.
"Dentistry is a field that is rapidly evolving so having access to updated tools and facilities during our training will be extremely valuable," she said.
"It will make the steep learning curve from university into clinical practice a lot easier."
The redevelopment marks another milestone in La Trobe's health professions education transformation in Bendigo, with construction of the $23 million upgrade to the nursing, midwifery and allied health facilities underway at the Flora Hill campus. This investment further expands the University's capacity to train students in advanced clinical settings before they enter the workforce.
