The DECs are clinical training centres where students treat patients, under supervision, and gain first-hand experience within the communities they are most likely to serve after graduation.
The four local DECs have been equipped with brand new surgeries, tutorial and study facilities dedicated for student teaching. UCLan and the DECs are linked via IT for learning and teaching, with individual student access to the relevant intranets.
By placing our students at the heart of community dental services within Cumbria and Lancashire, we are aiming not only to attract local candidates, but also to foster long-standing relationships with those communities, leading ultimately to an increase in the numbers of newly qualified dentists who will remain in the area to continue their professional career.