North Fitzroy students have reason to smile

An independent co-educational North Fitzroy primary school - Deutsche Schule - is a winner in the ADA “No Mouthguard No Play” Mouthguard Policy Competition.

Pictured are pupils showing their excitement when told that the school will receive $1000 to use towards sporting equipment for the school.

The other winners were two schools, two hockey clubs, a basketball association and a roller derby league. Entries came from around Australia.

The competition was part of last August's Dental Health Week program which focused on sports and oral health.

ADA partners with Alzheimer's to promote dental care

The Australian Dental Association (ADA) and Alzheimer’s Australia are partnering in a new venture to promote the provision of dental care for people living with dementia.

Assoc Prof Matthew Hopcraft has been announced as the Chair of the new committee that will lead the project. Assoc Prof Hopcraft is an ADA Victorian Branch Councillor, an ADA Federal Councillor and is an accomplished academic who has been widely published on matters relating to the oral health of the elderly.

The committee will focus on developing, delivering and promoting high quality, competency based learning materials for dentists and dental students. These materials will be freely available to allied dental practitioners such as dental hygienists, therapists and prosthetists.

Further information
ADA media release (links to ADA website)
September is Dementia Awareness Month (links to Alzheimer's Australia website)

eHealth rebooted

Minister for Health Sussan Ley has delivered the second reading speech introducing the Health Legislation Amendment (eHealth) Bill 2015, in which she says the Bill seeks:

"to reboot our national electronic health records system to deliver an effective system that will help improve the health of all Australians, as well as realising the benefits that instant access to and sharing of electronic health records can provide".

As all dentists know, unless and until 'MyHealthRecord' functionality is a built-in feature of dental practice software, its relevance to dentistry remains more theoretical than real.

ADA calls on new PM to act on dental health

The Australian Dental Association has welcomed the election of Mr Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister.

ADA hopes to shortly meet with Mr Turnbull and his Cabinet colleagues in an effort to increase the focus of the Government on dental health.

ADA President Dr Rick Olive AM RFD said that dental health has not achieved the attention it deserves from Government in recent years.

There are many sectors of the community that require some assistance to access dental care. he said. For example, ADA has called for a targeted national oral plan to provide Australia’s pensioners with a dental scheme that would provide them with $1000 every two years for dental treatment, modelled on the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.

Filling the gap

Residents of remote and rural Australia have poorer oral health than residents of the major cities, according to a report by the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The report, Filling the Gap, says that while about one quarter (23%) of adults living in major cities have untreated tooth decay, prevalence increases as distance from a capital city rises, with more than one third (37%) of remote area residents living with untreated decay. Untreated tooth decay for Indigenous Australians is even higher, with more than half (57%) of Indigenous Australians having one or more teeth affected by decay.

The report states: “The disparity in oral health outcomes between city and country is directly related to disparities in dental care availability and access. On average, more than six-in-10 (63%) major city adults visited a dentist in a year, compared to little more than four-in-10 (45%) in remote areas …

“This disparity in oral health outcomes between city and country is also influenced by a greater prevalence of oral health risk factors and barriers to access and availability in country Australia. Risk factors and barriers relating to diet, tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, stress, dental hygiene, health literacy, access to fluoridated water, dental product cost, and fruit and vegetable access are more acute in country areas than in major cities.

* A specially fitted van operated by the RFDS Victoria, in association with Dental Health Services Victoria and ADAVB, provides basic oral care to disadvantaged members of communities in selected rural areas around the State."

Oral health is important - COAG Health Council

The COAG Health Council has confirmed that oral health is an important part of general health, affecting not only the individual, but also the broader health system and economy.

At the Council's latest meeting, Federal, State and Territory Health Ministers considered and endorsed the new National Oral Health Plan 2015-2024, which provides strategic direction and a framework for collaborative action over the next ten years.

Their communique stated: “Translation of the plan into practice requires jurisdictions and sectors to work together, with the Oral Health Monitoring Group reporting on progress of the National Oral Health Plan every two years”

The Ministers also discussed proposed Federal Government changes to eHealth legislation. The amendments aim to bring forward "the benefits of a connected national eHealth system", thereby improving "health outcomes for consumers through national sharing of information and a more efficient health system".

The Council agreed that, in consultation with all jurisdictions, new models for sufficient health and hospital funding would be explored as part of the broader discussion about the reform of Federation.

Oral Health in Government's Wellbeing Plan

The State Government has released its Wellbeing Plan 2015-2019 outlining key priorities over the next four years to improve the health and wellbeing of Victorians, particularly the most disadvantaged.

The Plan identifies six key areas:
• Healthier eating and active living;
• Tobacco free living;
• Reducing harmful alcohol and drug use;
• Improving mental health;
• Preventing violence and injury; and,
• Improving sexual health and reproductive health.

The Plan also identifies the importance of addressing climate change because of its impacts on health and wellbeing, including through heatwave, fire and long-term challenges to food security.

Looking at oral health, the report says:

“The costs and burden associated with poor oral health are well known. Oral disease is a key marker of disadvantage, with greater levels experienced by people on low income, dependent older people, Aboriginal people, people in rural areas, people with a disability, and immigrant groups from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (particularly refugees). Poor diet and consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks are important contributors to poor oral health. In addition to addressing the broader determinants of health, improving oral health requires access to fluoride (in water and toothpaste), good dental hygiene and regular access to preventive dental care”.

Celebrating the best and brightest in public dentistry

Nominations are open for the 2015 Public Oral Health Awards, a Dental Health Services Victoria initiative to recognise the hard work, dedication and excellence of dental professionals working in Victoria’s public sector.

Any dental professional working in Victoria’s public dental sector, including The Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne and community agencies, is eligible for the 2015 Star of Public Dentistry award. It recognises individuals for providing outstanding service and treatment outcomes to their patients.

To make a nomination please visit Dental Health Services Victoria.

Nominations for the 2015 Public Oral Health Awards close Friday, 25 September 2015, 5pm.