Dental Protection member and ambassador Dian Kenny shares an insight into the daily routine of a community service dentist in rural South Africa.

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I am Dr Dian Kenny, the community service dentist at Othobothini Community Health Centre. My role is both demanding and rewarding, providing essential dental care to a large rural community.

Daily routine and workload

Three out of my five working days are dedicated solely to extractions, where I see approximately 30 patients per day. The remaining two days are reserved for fillings, emergency endodontic procedures, and scaling and polishing "cleanings". My workday starts at 07:30 and ends at 16:00, with a one-hour lunch break from 13:00 to 14:00.

I am fortunate to have two fully functional dental chairs, which are particularly useful for extractions. I can administer anaesthesia in one chair while extracting in the other, improving efficiency. Although I am not fortunate enough to have a supervisor I do have an incredible dental assistant. She is the one who showed me how everything works and she helped me find my feet. Her experience and knowledge are invaluable, and I often rely on her advice in challenging situations and more often than not, she’s absolutely right!

Rural dentistry: challenges and responsibilities

Beyond my primary clinic, I am responsible for five satellite clinics, the furthest being nearly 40 km away. The area I serve has a population of approximately 100, 000 people, and I am the only government dentist available. This means I see a wide range of cases, including trauma and some rare autoimmune conditions.

To reach these satellite clinics, I had to retake my drivers’ licence test to be authorized to drive the government vehicles. The rural nature of my placement also means I receive a rural allowance, calculated as 22% of my basic salary. Salaries are paid on the last day of each month, unless that day falls on a weekend in which case we get paid on the last Friday of the month.

Seeing my first pay cheque was a moment of relief and excitement but a key piece of advice: don’t spend it all at once! Budget wisely and save where you can.

Living and working in a rural setting

I live in the doctors' quarters, which is conveniently located on the same premises as the clinic. It’s just a 1 minute 30 second walk from my surgery.

Final thoughts

Being a community service dentist is both a challenge and an incredible learning experience. Working in a rural setting exposes you to a high patient load, diverse cases, and unique logistical challenges. It requires resilience, adaptability, and a strong passion for serving the community. But despite the difficulties, it is a deeply fulfilling role that provides invaluable hands-on experience.

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