Placements with the Sri Lanka Army dental corps
Dental placements abroad with the Sri Lanka Army dental corps
Introduction and Overview
Our agreement with the Sri Lanka Army Dental Corps
GAFV is proud and privileged to announce the signing of a groundbreaking partnership with the Sri Lanka Army Dental corps. We are engaged to place those involved in dentistry from outside Sri Lanka within their dental hospitals, to develop each others expertise, global connections, and affiliations.
Public services of the Sri Lanka Army dental corps
The Sri Lanka Army dental corps takes pride in its many and varied public service projects, both across Sri Lanka, as well as Overseas. SL Army Dentists have taken part in UN missions for many years, including in Haiti, and they currently staff the Sri Lankan UN Mission hospital in South Sudan.
Within Sri Lanka, the Army’s Dental corps comprises 34 dentists, as well as hygienists, dental nurses, and technicians who provide comprehensive dental care, free of charge, to a patient body of 1.2 million people. Eligible citizens are serving and retired members of the army (the navy, and air force, operates its own hospitals and dentists), army veterans, and their immediate families.
The SL army dental corps carries out comprehensive public health education training with their patient body, in addition to government programmes, to mitigate the problems they encounter in the population with dental and oral health. In particular, these include fluorosis, oral cancers, impacted teeth, abscesses, cavities, and tooth agenesis.
The Sri Lanka Army Dental Hospitals
The dental hospitals at Colombo, and Anuradhapura
The dental specialisms
Both hospitals offer oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMF), orthodontics, restorative dentistry, and prosthetic treatments, to deliver a full range of dental services, include cavity fillings, nerve and root canal procedures, extractions, and teeth replacements. Minor oral surgeries, such as the removal of impacted wisdom teeth in adults and impacted canines in children, are carried out in both hospitals. Cases of mouth cancer detected at Anuradhapura are directed to the dental hospital in Colombo, which has an OMF in-patient ward
Anuradhapura has 4 adult chairs, and 1 child chair; Colombo has 16 chairs.
On-site laboratories
Both hospitals have dedicated on-site dental labs making dentures, crowns, implants, and bridges, typically within 3 days, but they can be produced in 1 day when necessary. Anuradhapura has 2 full-time technicians in one lab, Colombo, the larger hospital has 12, with 10 in one and 2 in another lab.
Referrals
In most cases, referrals of army personnel to the hospitals come via MIs (Medical Inspection Rooms) stationed within the battalions. Next of kin to serving personnel, and veterans should register at the hospitals and are able to book by appointment.
The dental unit in Anuradhapura sees 45 patients a day, and 85 on the day each month that the consultants visit from Colombo. Typically, the Colombo unit sees 145 patients a day.
Staff numbers
29 staff are based at the dental directorate in Anuradhapura, and 90 are based in Colombo.
Anuradhapura treats up to 45 patients each day, as many as 85 on the day each month the consultants based in Colombo augment the staff, and daily. Colombo treats 145 patients.
Common dental problems managed by the dental corps
Dental and oral health challenges in the region include oral cancers, with betel chewing being blamed for a high proportion of these. Fluorosis is a problem in the Anuradhapura area, and inadequate dental hygiene is common.
To address these concerns, the dental corps undertakes health information campaigns aimed at serving personnel and their families.
Dental placement: program eligibility
The Army Hospital, Colombo
SLA Dental Programs and eligibility criteria
If you are actively involved in dentistry, a student, or a qualified dentist, or are aged 17-19 and in college and want to join our pre-Dental program in Sri Lanka
You will need to provide:
police check
proof of eligibility for the program
proof of related experience
proof of qualifications
references
Places are limited, so please apply early to secure your place on the programme
The range of placement types
The Army Hospital, Colombo
pre-Dental
Our pre-Dental placements run for 1 - 2 weeks (as you wish), and you can join us in both the military dental hospitals, and a public hospital to giving you experience of the type of provision available, as well as of the health issues that the dentists meet. The visa we obtain for you is for 4 weeks, and so after the 2 weeks you can volunteer in schools with us, and do tourist activities - escorted or independently, enjoying all that Sri Lanka offers.
Dental electives: observations│practicums
As a 4th year dental student you can join us on practicums, and work alongside the dentists in the clinics who will supervise you. This is also open to dental hygienists and dental technicians
Dental students who have not previously had practical experience on their courses can join us for dental elective observations.
Qualified dentists
Qualified dentists may join us to gain additional experience, possibly for joining MSF, or for training on your journey to becoming a consultant.
We will obtain your licence for qualified dentists to practice in Sri Lanka
Hygienists
Qualified or training
Dental Technicians
Qualified or training
Typical Programme Itinerary
whilst the section is being written, please ask for details