A short history of Westmead Centre Dental Clinical School

Westmead Centre is a large teaching hospital of 925 acute treatment beds planned to provide a comprehensive range of general and specialist referral services to the rapidly expanding population of the western suburbs of Sydney. The hospital was conceived in 1968 and opened for patient treatment in 1978. The Dental Clinical School is an integral part of Westmead Centre. The School was planned to provide diagnostic, treatment, recovery, and support facilities. When fully commissioned, it will offer 230 dental chairs, a fully equipped Operating Suite, and extensive laboratory, teaching and research areas. The School is meant to provide clinical undergraduate training for dental students of the University of Sydney and facilities for graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education. At the same time it is to fulfil a general and specialist service role in the Western Metropolitan Health Region. The Dental Clinical School opened for patient treatment in 1980 and accepted its first intake of final year students in 1981. It is anticipated that in 1982 the School will be fully commissioned and making a significant contribution to the dental education and care of the people of New South Wales.