Call to honour health volunteers

Victorians are being encouraged to nominate inspirational health volunteers for the 2016 Minister for Health Volunteer Awards.

The awards celebrate people - like last year's winners pictured here - who volunteer to support the health and well-being of those around them. 

They recognise the professionalism and innovation of volunteers around the State and across all areas of healthcare.  Nominees can include individuals, teams or groups.

British hospital dentists take industrial action

The British Dental Association (BDA) is supporting industrial action by dentists providing emergency dental care at hospital clinics.

The three-day action has been taken following a Government decision to impose a new contract on these dentists in England.

The BDA is supporting junior hospital dentists to ensure a safe and fair contract is put in place.

Meanwhile in Victoria, the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch, is supporting an industrial campaign by dentists working at community clinics, who are seeking wage parity with their colleagues employed by hospital dental clinics.

2016 ADAVB BOQ Specialist CPD Practice Bursary YOUR CHANCE TO WIN $10,000!

ADAVB and BOQ Specialist are giving you and your staff the chance to win $10,000 to fund your continuing professional development activities. 

Last year it was awarded to one lucky practice, Blackburn Dental Group, and this year it could be you.

If you’re an ADAVB member and work in a private practice then you’re eligible to apply. You will need to provide the following with your application:

• a description of your practice and staffing
• your plans to use the $10,000
• the logs of CPD activities undertaken in the last 2 years (for registered practitioners only).

All applications must be submitted to the ADAVB CPD Unit by Friday 20 May, 2016.

Find out more and apply

Not a member? Join us.

What is the future of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

A delegation from the National Oral Health Alliance (NOHA) has met with Department of Health officials to discuss oral health issues, including the future of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).

After the meeting, NOHA issued a statement saying that spending on the CDBS has been less than budgeted and the Government appears to have no interest in improving its uptake.

NOHA believes that there are discussions between the Federal, State and Territory Governments on what will be in place after the expiry of the 2015-16 National Partnership Agreement, which made $200 million available for the delivery of dental services and continued access to the CDBS.

The delegation, which included the Australian Dental Association and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, stressed the high need among three groups - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people, those on low incomes, and people in remote areas - for greater availability of oral care.

(NOHA is a group of consumer dental and general health organisations that support action by governments and professional bodies to improve oral and dental health.)

Poor oral health continues among Australians - report

The nation’s latest oral health plan – Health Mouths, Healthy Lives – has been released.

The document says that despite improvements over the last 20-30 years, there is still evidence of poor oral health among Australians:
• More than 90% of adults and 40% of young children have experienced tooth decay at some stage in their life.
• Three-out-of-10 adults have untreated tooth decay.
• Only four-out-of-10 Australian adults (39%) have a favourable visiting pattern, i.e. seeing a dentist once a year for a check-up, rather than waiting to treat poor oral health.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and adults who are socially disadvantaged or on low incomes have more than double the rate of poor oral health their counterparts experience.
• People with additional or specialised health care needs or those living in regional and remote areas find it more difficult to access oral health care.

The goal of Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives: Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024 is to improve health and well-being across the population by improving oral health status and reducing the burden of poor oral health.

The ADA Inc.'s Australian Dental Health Plan proposes funding and service delivery arrangements by which to achieve improved oral health outcomes for needy Australians.

Crackdown on dodgy health providers

Victoria’s health complaints watchdog will be given greater powers to name and shame dodgy health service providers and practitioners, and protect the public by banning them from practising.

The Health Complaints Bill 2016 will establish a tough new complaints system to crack down on dangerous unregistered health practitioners.

“We’re taking action to crack down on dangerous health practitioners who take advantage of vulnerable Victorians,” Health Minister Jill Hennessy said.

Under the proposed new laws, the existing Health Services Commissioner will be replaced by a new watchdog, the Health Complaints Commissioner. The State Government says that this will create a more comprehensive health complaints system that better protects the public and providers of health services.

The new Commissioner will have powers to take action against dangerous and unethical health providers who are not registered under national health practitioner regulation law.

The Bill will also allow anyone to make a complaint, rather than just the person who received the health service.

The introduction of the legislation follows cases such as the blogger who faked cancer to profit from her wellness app, the fake gynaecologist performing "fertility treatments" on women for a decade, or the unregistered "dodgy" dentists, and ban them from providing unethical and dangerous treatments.

ADA Dental Health Plan launched

The Australian Dental Association Inc. has launched a plan which provides a comprehensive framework for the Federal Government to most effectively help a number of disadvantaged groups get dental care.

Forming part of the ADA’s pre-Budget submission, the Australian Dental Health Plan targets groups which continue to have substantial unmet dental health needs. They include people from low socio-economic backgrounds, indigenous people, those in rural and remote areas, and people with special needs.

The plan seeks to replicate the success of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.

Announcing the plan, ADA President Dr Rick Olive AM RFD said dental health is a key component of enhancing general health.

Open to opportunities in rural Australia? Take a closer look.

Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme – Information Session

The Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme (DRISS) is a grants scheme that provides Infrastructure and Relocation Grants to dentists who relocate to regional or remote locations within Australia to provide general dental services.

DRISS offers:

• Relocation Grants of $15,000 to $120,000; and
• Relocation and Infrastructure Grants up to $370,000.

The grants are available to registered general dentists who want to work in private practice in a location more regional, rural or remote than their current practice.

The DRISS Information Session will cover:

• Purpose of DRISS
• Eligibility and the types of grants available
• DRISS application and grant management processes.

Victorian Information Session - Funding Round 6:

Tuesday 16 February 2016
5.45pm for 6.00pm start

ADAVB Training Rooms
Level 3, 10 Yarra St, South Yarra

Cost: Free
Register: Complete the DRISS registration form

More information

Website: www.rhwa.org.au/DRISS
Freecall: 1800 475 433
Email: DRISS@rhwa.org.au

DRISS is an initiative of the Australian Government’s Department of Health and is administered by Rural Health Workforce Australia.

Royal Flying Doctors Service seeks dentists for Mobile Dental Care Program

RFDS Victoria seeks experienced dentists to participate in delivering dental treatment to rural Victorian communities as part of the Mobile Dental Care Program.

Dentists are urgently needed for 22 - 26 February (paid contract work) and week beginning 29 February (volunteer work).

Key selection criteria:

• Bachelor of Dental Science or equivalent degree, registered with the Dental Board of Australia with no current conditions or undertakings.
• A minimum of 3 years previous clinical experience in Australia as a dentist.
• Own Professional Indemnity Insurance cover.
• Current Working with Children Check, or willing to obtain this.
• Current Victorian Drivers Licence.

Dentists must be willing to travel throughout rural Victoria to provide dental treatment in a purpose-built, self-contained vehicle for two or more weeks throughout the year.

People living and working in rural and remote areas are often affected by problems associated with poor oral health. This Mobile Dental Care Program provides treatment to Victorians living in rural and remote areas, who are eligible for public dental services, but live more than 50km from a public dental clinic.

The Program builds on an already established volunteer dentist model, which has been running for the past three years.  Funded by the Victorian Government, the program involves a partnership between Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch, the Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria and Dental Health Services Victoria.

If you are interested in participating in this program please contact Kate Storr at RFDS Vic as soon as possible on (03) 8412 0452 or kate.storr@rfdsvic.com.au .

End PHI consumers paying more for less - ADA

The Australian Dental Association will continue to tell the public that private health insurance premium increases have consistently been higher than the cost of living.

Commenting on a call by Health Minister Ms Sussan Ley for more information from the insurers to justify their annual increases, Association President Dr Rick Olive said: “For years the dental profession have been pointing out that private health insurers’ premiums have been rising but the overall amount they actually rebate back to policy holders for dental treatment has hardly improved”.

ADA claims that most people with general treatment policies are paying higher premiums but are not seeing rebates for dental treatment increase commensurate to the extra amount they pay for their policies.

"The Minister cannot allow consumers to pay more for less," Dr Olive said.