Immunise against influenza to save lives

The National Health and Medical Research Council is calling for health care workers to be protected against influenza. The Council says that by immunising health care workers against this disease, people in their care will be better protected.
About 2400 Australians die each year from influenza-related complications.
For more details about the influenza program, visit http://www.fightflu.gov.au/

Dental Waiting Times Grants Program 2008-2009

The Department of Human Services' Primary Health Branch, in partnership with Dental Health Services Victoria, is calling for submissions from community health services, hospitals and primary care partnerships (PCP) (under a Partnerships category) for funding under the Dental Waiting Times Grants Program 2008-2009.

Innovative proposals are sought "to reduce and smooth dental waiting lists for general and denture care".

According to the Department, the intention is not to invest extra funds into dental service provision, but rather, the program aims "to foster the local implementation of system changes, or the extension of existing system change innovations and practices, to meaningfully reduce dental waiting times at an agency and/or catchment level".

Other details about the grants program include:

• A total of $500,000 has been allocated.
• Up to $100,000 in non-recurrent funding is available for a single project.
• Depending on the quality of the applications, funding may be provided to a number of small projects, or a few larger projects or some small and some larger projects.
• The projects must operate for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 18 months.
• It is anticipated that all projects would commence in April 2008.
• The due date for submissions was Thursday, 31 January 2008.

See also:
2008-2009 Submission Guide and Template (348kb, MS Word)
Waiting Times Project Report (70kb, pdf)

More information on the Dental Waiting Times Grants Program 2008-2009 is available from Trudy McInnis Senior Policy OfficerDental Health Unit Department of Human Services Level 12, 50 Lonsdale St, Melbourne 3000 Telephone: (61 3) 9096 8317 Email: trudy.mcinnis@dhs.vic.gov.au

UNEP Practice Management Courses

Don't miss the boat! Registration for the University of New England Partnerships (UNEP) nationally recognised Certificate IV in Practice Management and the Diploma of Practice Management courses are still open. If you have been thinking of enrolling your staff for this dynamic, up-to-date, dental specific program, there is still time. The new commencement date is Friday 18 April 2008 and classes will be held at ADAVB , one day a month . For more information, please contact ADAVB at (03) 9826 8318, email cpd@adavb.org or click here.

Dental needs of older Australians

The dental needs of older people in Australia have been stressed recently in two studies. A survey of more than 8500 people aged 65 and over in NSW highlighted the strong association between good oral health and positive mental health, and support the need for increased access to free or subsidised, preventive and restorative dental services for older people. Sydney University Associate Professor Susan Quine and Dr Stephen Morrell found that both measures of mental health used (feeling hopeless and feeling depressed, 'most' or 'all of the time' in the last four weeks) were highly significantly associated with increased reporting of oral health concerns in both men and women.
The SA Dental Service is using a screening tool in its enhanced primary care health assessments performed by doctors and nurses in inner southern Adelaide. It consists of six short validated questions that give a reliable indication of those requiring referral for dental care. The program, where older people bypass the waiting list for public dental care, has resulted in them reporting less dental pain, increased comfort and pleasure in eating and improvements in emotional well-being and in self-nominated goals for dental treatment.

The Leading Practice - Information Night

In the February 2008 newsletter you will find a brochure for The Leading Practice. The School of Dental Science and the ADAVB have been working with the Melbourne Business School for nearly 12 months on this project and we are delighted to finally release all of the details. In working with the MBS, we have tapped into a wealth of business knowledge that our members are not able to readily gain access to. This program is unique – nowhere else can you find the dental school, the professional body and the business school working side by side to deliver an innovative and tailored program such as The Leading Practice.

We are holding an information night for those interested in The Leading Practice.

Date: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: Melbourne Business School, 200 Leicester St, Carlton

If you are interested in finding out more about this program or meeting some of the MBS team, please come and join us. To assist with catering purposes, please RSVP by 14 March to cathy.hosking@adavb.org