Australian universities have implemented rural outplacement programs to motivate dental students to pursue rural careers. Dental curricula should equip graduates with comprehensive insight into the challenges faced by rural oral health practitioners. Understanding students’ pre-outplacement attitudes toward rural practice is essential for refining these programs, yet this topic has received limited attention. This study conducted an anonymous, voluntary, online survey among first-year dental students to assess their awareness and understanding of rural oral health, willingness to work in rural regions, and factors influencing the attractiveness of rural practice. On a seven-point Likert scale, most students reported a moderate to high awareness of rural communities and oral health issues. Participants with rural backgrounds demonstrated significantly greater intention to practice rurally following graduation (p = 0.001). Overall, students expressed favorable intentions for short-term rural work. Enhanced employment prospects were cited as the main motivator, whereas separation from family and friends was the leading deterrent. Rural background strongly influenced post-graduation rural practice intentions. These pre-outplacement perceptions align closely with post-placement findings described in prior research.
