The community practice program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, U.S.A.

The Community Dentistry Department of the University of Michigan has coori. • : • "•": : dinated a community practice program since fall 1971, The program provides a broad range , .; :,;, , ' of experiences, including work with penal institutions, a major hospital, homes for the re. tarded, rural and urban clinics, an institution training dental assistants, and a summer mifj' 'grant program. The purpose of the third year field experiences is to allow dental students to ''"' ' observe the relationship of dental and other health problems to individuals and social groups ' ^>-• ' ' • in a community setting and to become familiar with factors affecting the distribution of den.; : . .! • : .. tal disease. The senior year experiences afford students an opportunity to perform clinical . : , . • • dental procedures in a community health environment and to become aware of social, eco, _ nomic, political and cultural factors affecting dental health and dental practice. It has been found that combining clinically-related experiences with community-related experiences re' ' ' • ' "" suits in much higher student motivation and enthusiasm. All dental students are required to spend seven days on community practice during their junior and senior years. The school . ;'i ; feels that these extramural experiences bring about an awareness of and interest in the many :• . : . , ' U; ii,:;. opportunities that exist for guiding a community toward better dental health.. (Received for publication 1 July, accepted 17 July 1974)