The Campus

Adelaide is the Capital City of the State of South Australia. This is a large State in the southern central part of Australia. Overall, the State has a population of 1.5 million people, spread over its one million square kilometres. Of these, however, 1.1 million people live within 15 kilometres of the centre of Adelaide. Thus, essentially, it is a City-State. This means that the majority of the Health and Educational facilities are located in Adelaide or in close proximity.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit is the sole public facility for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery services. Patients of a Dental nature are required to have a Health Care Card and meet eligibility requirements. This covers approximately 40% of the population. Patients with more Maxillofacial-related problems come under Medicare requirements for public hospital treatment. This is available to the whole population. Thus there is a substantial patient pool.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit also provides the public facility for the Northern Territory. This Territory, which is in the northern central region of Australia, has 160,000 people spread over an area of 1.35 million square kilometres. Most of these people are either centred about Darwin (100,000 people), or Alice Springs (30,000 people).

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service is located at the following hospitals:  

Adelaide Dental Hospital

This Hospital facility is shared by the Specialist Clinical Services of the South Australian Dental Hospital and the Dental School of the University of Adelaide. The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit has its principle Outpatient Department in this building. This acts as the Outpatient Clinic for both the Adelaide Dental Hospital and also for the Royal Adelaide Hospital. It sees a minimum of 17,000 patients per year. It is fully equipped with eight operatories, a full recovery suite and educational facilities.

The Administrative and University offices, including an office for Registrars, are located in this building.

The Royal Adelaide Hospital

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit is a fully autonomous surgical unit within the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Administratively, it is part of the Gastrointestinal Services Functional Unit. This consists of three General Surgical units, one General Medicine unit and Specialist Gastrointestinal Physicians, as well as the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit. Ward facilities are shared with the General Surgical Unit which specialises in Colorectal surgery.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit conducts three day-stay lists per week, plus four Inpatient Surgical Lists per week. Emergency surgery is provided through the Emergency Surgical Suite. 

Flinders Medical Centre

An Outpatient Clinic is conducted on a fortnightly basis. Emergency surgery is provided as required. A monthly Cleft Palate Clinic is run in association with the Plastic Surgery Unit. Associate Professor Jones has a regular elective operating list once per month.

Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital

Professor Goss conducts a monthly Outpatient Clinic and an Inpatient Theatre List. Emergency surgery is conducted as required.

The Lyell McEwin Hospital

An Inpatient elective Theatre List is conducted once per month.

The Royal Darwin Hospital

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit provides a resident Registrar attached to the Division of Surgery at this hospital. A Specialist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon from the Adelaide Unit visits on a monthly basis, and Mr Mahiban Thomas is the Maxillofacial Surgeon resident in Darwin.

Each Registrar in the Adelaide program would be expected to spend at least six months in Darwin. It is usual that in total they will spend two rotations in Darwin. This Hospital provides good experience in trauma, general surgery and tropical diseases.