Background:

Aboriginal people have poorer oral health, experience multiple barriers to accessing dental services and culturally appropriate oral health information than non-Aboriginal people.

In 2013, Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) received Closing the Gap funding to improve access and engagement to public dental services in the Loddon Mallee region for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Methods:

A working group was established in Castlemaine including an Aboriginal Elder and the volunteer coordinator of "The Meeting Place" and local health organisation representatives.

The Meeting Place is a culturally safe and supportive community initiative for Aboriginal children and families to learn about culture with an emphasis on health. In 2014, ‘The Meeting Place’ in collaboration with MDHS public dental service, are implementing an adaptation of the Smiles 4 Miles oral health program. The dental team will undertake dental screenings, education and referral within ‘The Meeting Place’.

Results/Discussions:

The Meeting Place program for 2014 commenced in March and will operate during school terms. A pre-implementation survey completed by children will determine baseline knowledge of oral health and healthy eating and will be repeated at year-end to measure improvements in knowledge.

Dental screenings and education will enable children to become familiar with dental staff and equipment to reduce fear or anxiety about dental visits. This will also inform families about priority access and provide direct referral to the MDHS dental clinic.

Project funding will assist MDHS to create a culturally safe and supportive environment within the clinic.

Conclusions/implications:

The program has already improved connections between MDHS and The Meeting Place. It is anticipated the program will improve access and engagement to public dental services for families attending The Meeting Place and more widely in the community. The implementation of the Smiles 4 Miles program can enable children to develop good oral health habits for life.