The history of the establishment of the Malaysian Dental Training School (SLPM) which is now known as the Children's Dental Centre & Malaysian Dental Training College began around 1946. It is the result of the idea of Dr. Roy E. Anderson who was the former Director of Malayan Medical Services when he was on holiday in Wellington, New Zealand. On his return to Malaya, he told Mr. Charles F. Mummery, the former Chief Dental Officer of Malaya on the teaching methods practiced by a group of Nurses there especially in providing curative and preventive treatment to children. Following that, Mr. Charles F. Mummery, who happens to be looking at ways to improve pediatric dental treatment facilities in Malaya, has been in touch with Mr. J. Llewellyn Saunders, Director of New Zealand Dentistry at the time.
Thus, in June 1949 a school to train Dental Nurses was established located in a small part of the 1st Floor space, Block A of the Penang General Hospital with its first training starting a month later. Mr. Charles F. Mummery has been its first Director. The curriculum used is an adaptation from New Zealand, and it is the first such training to be implemented outside of New Zealand. As the space allocated was quite limited, the practical training of Dental Nurses was conducted at the Jalan Grove satellite clinic, Penang.
The first batch for Dental Nurse training was offered to five Medical Nurses under the guidance of a Dental Sister Tutor, Miss Barbara Grumitt. He hails from the New Zealand School Dental Service. They completed the course in 1950 and were subsequently appointed General Health (Dental) Nurses, now known as Dental Nurses. To further enhance the capacity of the Instructors at that time, a total of three Dental Nurses were sent to New Zealand to be trained as Instructors. They returned to Penang in 1953 to begin training assignments. In the same year, Dr. Chellie J. Sundram was the first local to be appointed a Director of the institution until 1972.
In 1951, the role and function of SLPM was enhanced by creating a Dental Mechanics course. It was converted into a Dental Technology course in 1959, and at the same time made the position of Dental Mechanic to Dental Technician.
Apart from that, in 1950 the Dental Nurse Assistant Service scheme was established and served as an assistant to the Dental Officer which is now known as the Dental Surgical Assistant. The continuity of the training of this dental auxiliary category has been further developed by training formal full -time Dental Surgical Assistants for two years starting in 1982. Prior to that they were directly appointed as civil servants and trained on the job by Dental Officers. Initially only women were recruited as Dental Surgical Assistants, but beginning in 1961 several men were recruited to the position.
The SLPM space, which is located in part of the General Hospital Dental Clinic, Penang, could not accommodate the increasing number of trainees for Dental Nurses and Dental Technicians to meet the needs of dental services at that time. Therefore, a separate building for training purposes was built in 1965 and was inaugurated by the Honorable Mr. Bahaman bin Shamsuddin, Minister of Health Malaysia on April 8, 1966. It houses space for the Lecture Hall, General Laboratory of Dental Technicians, Treatment Room for practice trainee clinics as well as some Dental Surgery for Dental Officers.
With the increasing number of trainees every year, the institution has sought to improve and expand the existing infrastructure facilities. Then another three -storey building block was built which was inaugurated on 27 April 1981 by T.Y.T Yang DiPertua Negeri, Penang, Tun Datuk Haji Sardon bin Haji Jubir. The new building can accommodate space for an additional Lecture Hall, Treatment Room for trainee clinical practice and also three more Dental Surgery.
In 1993, for the first time, the Distance Education (PJJ) training method was introduced for the Dental Surgery Assistant Certificate course. The trainees will undergo intensive training in the first 3 months and the last 3 months at the parent institution, while practical training is conducted at MOH dental clinics nationwide as Practical Training Centers (PLA) for 18 months under the guidance of an appointed Local Prefect. The PJJ learning method is based on the use of interactive module packages provided to the trainees.
On 18 January 1996, the Certificate in Dental Nursing and Dental Technician was recognized as equivalent to a diploma. Accordingly, the structure of the education system has also changed from conventional methods to credit systems where training is implemented using the semester system to replace the term system. The course for Dental Technicians has been changed to the Dental Technology course, while its graduates are now known as Dental Technologists.
In line with the rating as an institution that trains diploma and certificate graduates, on 15 April 2003 the name of this institution was changed from the Children's Dental Center & Malaysian Dental Training School (PPKK & SLPM) to the Children's Dental Center & Malaysian Dental Training College (PPKK & KLPM). The physical development and infrastructure of this institution has been continued with the construction of an additional building block as high as (12) storeys equipped with more complete and comfortable facilities. It started operating in 2004 by housing the Administration Office Unit, Female Trainee Dormitory, Computer Lab, Auditorium, Library, Teaching Staff Room and various other facilities related to teaching and learning activities. Other public facilities such as surau, toilets and trainee cafeteria are also provided. Since its establishment 67 years ago, until now the Children's Dental Center & Malaysian Dental Training College (PPKK & KLPM) is still the only Training Institution of the Ministry of Health Malaysia which is still the only Training Institution of the Ministry of Health Malaysia that trains Health Scientists Associate in the field of dentistry in the country. During that period it was led by a total of 11 Directors.
