Clinical attachment allows dental students to watch real dental procedures, understand treatment planning, and see how clinicians interact with patients. Observing multiple cases helps students:

• Strengthen their diagnostic thinking

• Understand variations in treatment techniques

• Recognize different approaches between countries and institutions

Being physically present in dental clinics allows students to:

• Familiarize themselves with instruments and materials

• Observe infection control protocols

• Understand chairside teamwork

• Develop professional communication skills

This prepares students for future clinical years and real patient care.

A major academic purpose of the exchange is to enable students to write a strong interim introduction or reflective report based on real clinical exposure.

By observing daily clinical operations, students can gather essential information for writing:

• Clinical setting descriptions

• Patient case summaries

• Workflow analysis

• Comparisons between HKAGDP and SMU practices

• Personal learning reflections

• Identified learning gaps for future study

This ensures that their interim introduction—and later, their full report—is complete, evidence-based, and professionally grounded.