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.
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 practise 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.”
