La Trobe University, Australia
Oral Health in Nepal
2013 Heiskell Award Special Recognition: Internationalizing the Professions
Nomination submitted by: Liz Stinson, Executive Director of La Trobe International
Program Overview: The Buddhi Bangara Project is a project that started in 2005. Since 2010 this project enables Australian Oral Health students to provide community education in Nepal about oral health and the link of oral health with systemic health. As part of the Oral Health Program at La Trobe University, students may participate in a two week placement in different regions in Nepal. They reside with the different communities they are working with. The activities of the project are focused on 3 regions in Nepal: Dhangadi (West Nepal), Pokhara and Kathmandu. The program is based on the philosophy “if you can’t afford prevention, how can you afford disease.”