Electives with CIDS
A unique opportunity to see an integrated health program in a poor rural community.
The Charities Advisory Trust, a UK registered charity, has joined with CIDS (Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences), an Indian organisation to offer dental students the opportunity to spend their elective in India.
BACKGROUND
The Charities Advisory Trust has been working with Indian NGO's for over 14 years. The Trust has set up the award winning Green Hotel, Mysore. It pioneered the very successful Development from the Inside Course for those who want to work in development.
Located picturesquely on top of a hill commanding a view of fields andvalleys, CIDS was set up in 1999.
Following the success of the Medical Student Electives programme with ASHWINI in Gudalur (see www.medicalstudentelectives.org), the Dental Student Electives (DSE) was devised by the CAT's director, Hilary Blume, to provide dental students in the west with a practical, unique opportunity to see an integrated health programme in a poor rural community.
MISSION
The goal of the project is two-fold. On the one hand, DSE aims to provide an interesting, engaging and most importantly genuine elective placement for dental students and professionals. On the other hand, it hopes to generate a stable and long-term source of funding to pay for free cleft pallett operations to be carried out at CIDS.
PROGRAMME
After 4 weeks at CIDS, students spend a week in Mysore to see projects dealing with problems of urban poverty.
DSE are set up to make you feel confident and comfortable. The placement at CIDS is well thought through to make the most of the four weeks spent there. Accommodation and food are arranged. You will be met and transport organised for you, to make your arrival and first few days more comfortable. By the time you leave you will feel so at home in India, you could tackle anything.
This programme provides an ideal opportunity for those interested in dental provision in a developing country.