Dentistry Attracts Five International Students

Posted November 10, 1998


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 10, 1998
98-11-04-DE

Dentistry succeeds in attracting five
international students to college

The College of Dentistry at the University of
Saskatchewan has succeeded in attracting five
international students for the 1998-99 academic year.
Attracting these students completes phase one of a
three-year internationalization initiative designed to
help the College to reduce its dependency on the
university operating budget by $1.5 million.

The international students represent approximately one-
fifth of the College's first year entrants. In 1999-2000,
the international target will be increased to 10 students,
and the year after to 15 of the approximately 25
students who enter Dentistry each year. By Year Two the
College would have a higher percentage of international
students than any other Canadian dentistry program.
Acting Dean Dr. Ken Sutherland says the College knows it
can attract international students and is optimistic that
the targets can be achieved.

International dentistry students currently pay tuition
fees that are 2.15 times the current tuition for Canadian
students. Next year?although current students will
remain at those tuition levels?the College?s new
international students will pay the full cost of their
programs, approximately $30,000 per year.

Two of the five international students are from the
United States; the remainder come from Saudi Arabia,
Egypt, and Kenya. Sutherland says he thinks the U of S
program will especially appeal to American students
because of the favorable currency exchange rate. He
adds that representatives from the College have also
travelled to Dubai and Mexico to generate interest in the
dental program.

Sutherland says he believes the U of S is the only
Canadian institution now accepting international
students into first-year Dentistry studies.

For more information please contact:

Dr. Ken Sutherland, Acting Dean
College of Dentistry
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5122