Program Overview

Summer Student Practitioner Program

The Summer Student Practitioner Program (SSPP) allows incoming fourth-year students to practice dentistry within approved competencies for up to seven weeks in any city across BC. Students receive a temporary license and are paired with a practicing dentist, allowing them to experience the day-to-day operation and management of a dental practice. The SSPP encourages students to explore dentistry beyond Metro Vancouver, specifically in more rural BC communities.

Program Details

• The program is designed for incoming fourth-year students.
• Students receive a temporary license to practice dentistry.
• The program duration is up to seven weeks.
• Students are paired with a practicing dentist.
• The program encourages students to explore dentistry in rural BC communities.

Typical Procedures

A selection of procedures typically performed by students, in accordance with the UBC Year 3 DMD Students’ Benchmarks for Patient Care, include:

• Recall examinations
• Scaling, OH instruction/prophylaxis
• Certain endodontic procedures
• Conservative operative procedures
• Removable partial dentures
• Complete upper and lower dentures
• Additional simple restorative procedures

Important Information

• CDSPI provides malpractice insurance.
• The BC College of Oral Health Professionals provides licensure for the student for four months.
• Student must complete their third year of DMD studies to be eligible and are under the supervision of the participating dentist.
• Length of time is negotiated between the student and the dentist anytime between July and the first three weeks of August for one to seven weeks.
• Dental students may only perform procedures already learned through their studies at UBC.
• A dentist may employ only one dental student at a time; however, a group of two or more dentists may share supervision of the student on a rotating basis.
• The student must be provided with their own chair.
• The supervising dentist examines all patients the student sees and delegates the duties to be performed by the student.
• The student performs dental service at the discretion of the student and the supervising dentist per the UBC Year 3 DMD Students’ Benchmarks for Patient Care document.
• The supervising dentist is responsible for ensuring the academic policies at UBC and the student’s relationship with it is supported during employment.
• Dentists are requested to provide feedback on the student and program in a format provided by the University.