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Dentistry students experience Tanzania

This year, a number of Dentistry students will spend part of their summer working in Eastern Africa, as they take part in the Interprofessional Study Tour in Tanzania.  The study tour provides students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experiential learning about the intersections between health and development.  Five third year and two first year dentistry students have joined medicine students to learn about global health inequalities and how health care is delivered and taught in an extremely resource poor setting.  Students will spend time at a partner health science school, the Mhuhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS) and in rural and urban clinical settings, as well as working with non-governmental organizations delivering health promotion and/or health services, as they travel to different areas in Tanzania.  Dalhousie University has had a partnership with MUCHS for over 20 years, and Dalhousie dentistry and medicine students will work with medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and public health students from MUCHS in this international, interprofessional project.

In preparation for their 4-6 week study tour, students attended several pre-departure sessions, learning about health and safety issues, cultural preparation and also had an opportunity to study the Swahili language. 

We look forward to our students’ return and the presentations they will provide to students and faculty members on their experience in this unique educational opportunity.

Updated July 13, 2007