Dental education in the rural community: a Nigerian experience.

At the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, dental students are prepared not only to provide skilled care to individual patients, but also to assume responsibility for the community as a whole. In establishing the rural posting program for dental students, it was planned that all fifth year dental students would undertake a rural posting at Igboora, approximately 80 km from Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. During this 6 week immersion experience students learn about living in a rural area where they provide community oral health services. This report provides recommendations for initiating, sustaining and expanding rural dental education programs.