The Fiji School of Medicine was established in Suva, the capital of Fiji, over 100 years ago to train doctors for the South Pacific region but it has only recently established a training course for dentists. Prior to the commencenient of the course, the Fiji Government and governments of other islands sponsored students to study dentistry in either Australia (mainly at the University of Adelaide) or New Zealand (at the University of Otago). However, due to the expense involved and the desire to train practitioners for local practice conditions, the Fiji Government committed the Fiji School of Medicine to establish a 5-year training course for dentists, 3-year courses for dental hygienists and therapists and courses for dental chairside assistants. The overall curriculum for the 5-year dental programme was established with the guidance of Professor George Davies of the University of Queensland and the course commenced in 1993. The majority of the teaching of the early years of the course has been undertaken by local staff and other experienced dental educators employed through various overseas aid programmes. The curriculum has also been expanded on a continuing basis through a series of intensive teaching programmes in individual subjects. These programmes have been designed and presented by visiting experts from many different countries, particularly in the traditional dental speciality subjects. The aims of each intensive teaching programme have been to provide an appropriate series of lectures and practical/clinical experience, to examine the students at a similar level to other internationally-recognised courses, and to establish a curriculum and teaching materials for future use. Local staff have been allocated to continue the teaching of each subject and these staff members have spent considerable time with the visiting lecturers to expand their knowledge and clinical skills to enable them to continue the teaching programme. Examination of the students at the end of each intensive teaching course has been an integral part of the prograninie.The Fiji School of Medicine has established a high standard of education for all of their courses and the School will award a Bachelor degree to graduate dentists through the auspices of the University of the South Pacific which is also based in Suva.This degree will enable graduates to work as dentists in Fiji and other South Pacific island nations such as Tonga, Western Samoa, American Samoa, Kiribati Islands, Nauru, Vanuatu and other neighbouring islands. The majority of the dental students are sponsored by their individual governments to study in Fiji and they then must work for their government dental services on return to their home country, usually for a minimum 5-year period. The first intake of students to train as dentists commenced the course in 1993 and they are now in their 5th and final year. There are 13 students remaining in this 5thYear group, with 18 students in the 4thYear and 26 students in the 3rdYear of the course. The early years of the course have higher numbers as they include students who will graduate after 2 or 3 years with Diploma certificates in dental hygiene, dental therapy or dental