World No Tobacco Day highlights risks associated with tobacco use

Today is World No Tobacco Day. This year's theme is ‘ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship’.

The yearly event is organised by the World Health Organisation.

World No Tobacco Day highlights the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocates for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. WHO says that tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death globally and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults worldwide.

In an associated ADA Inc. Media Release highlighting the impact of smoking on oral health, Dr Peter Alldritt, Chair of the ADA’s Oral Health Committee, said: "Sixty-three percent of all deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases, with tobacco as the greatest risk factor. One of these non-communicable diseases is oral cancer. Oral cancer is one of the least understood conditions amongst the general public and yet, each day, an average of three Australians will be diagnosed with it."

 

Prolonged tobacco use in all its forms (smoking, chewing, smokeless tobaccos, betel nut and bidis) is still the most prevalent cause of oral cancer. The ADA also warns Australians that they can still be at risk of oral cancer even if they do not smoke. For more information, see www.oralcancerfacts.com.au

Dental snapshot of the nation

Individuals contributed 58% of the $7.9 billion spent on dental services in Australia in 2010-11, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The report, Oral health and dental care in Australia: key facts and figures 2012, shows that the $7.9 billion spent on dental services in 2010-11 was 2% more than the previous year. 

The report shows that in 2010, 64% of people aged 5 and over had visited a dentist in the previous year. This ranged from 78% of children aged 5-14 to 57% of adults aged 25-44. Noting that just over half of all people aged 5 and over had some level of private dental cover in 2010, AIHW spokesperson Professor Kaye Roberts-Thomson said most adults with some level of dental insurance made co-contributions towards the cost of dental visits.

A second report, also released at the same time, The dental health of Australia's children by remoteness: Child Dental Health Survey Australia 2009, provides insights into the dental health of rural children. Dental decay was relatively common, with about half of children examined having a history of decay. Children in regional and remote areas were at increased risk of dental decay in their baby teeth compared with those in major cities.

New dental scheme will not care for children's teeth - ADA

The Australian Dental Association says that the fee structure (Dental Benefits Rules) for the new child dental benefits scheme, Grow Up Smiling, will deprive many youngsters of proper dental care.

The Association’s Federal President, Dr Karin Alexander, says the fees are nearly 20% below a dentist’s average fees, which will result in dentists having to charge co-payments to deserving people to cover costs.

“This Government will be known as the government that introduced ‘poor dentistry for poor people’ because this scheme, as currently designed, does just that,” Dr Alexander said.

The scheme starts on 1 January next year.

ADAVB in pilot project to promote health

The Action plan for oral health promotion 2013-2017, was launched by Health Minister David Davis on 27 May. (Mr Davis [left] is pictured holding the plan with ADAVB President Dr Gordon Burt.)

The Action plan includes $14.9 million to prevent dental problems such as decay and gum disease.

One of the action items involving the ADAVB, is a partnership with the State Government to deliver a pilot project to promote health – Health Promoting Practices. With the pilot also involving the Australian Physiotherapy Association Victorian Branch, the Health Department is funding the development of a voluntary interdisciplinary framework through which health practices can better promote health, building on their existing commitment to this important aspect of professional health service.

Dental and physiotherapy practices have been chosen as the initial sites for the pilot project as they hold unique opportunities for health promotion. As oral health and movement/function are being increasingly related to general health and wellbeing, dental and physiotherapy professionals are playing an increasingly important role in providing health information about many aspects of health.

Another noteworthy project focuses once again on the role of dental practitioners in encouraging their patients who use tobacco products to contact Quitline. Opportunistic interventions which do not unduly disrupt the normal model of care are to be promoted.  This project involves the Department of Health, Quit Victoria, Dental Health Services Victoria and the ADAVB.

More information will be published on these and other projects covered by the Action Plan as development proceeds.

ADA response to Federal Budget 2013

The ADA Inc. has issued a media release in response to the Federal Budget announced by Treasurer Wayne Swan last night.

The release highlights numerous areas in which inexpensive action would have made a big difference to good dental policy, but which were overlooked.

Members interested in reading the ADA Inc. pre-Budget submission to the Federal Government will find it here.

Celebrations for La Trobe University's first dentists

The first dentists to graduate from La Trobe University's dental course marked the occasion with a graduation dinner in Bendigo.

The class of 2012 had 35 graduates, of whom 33 – along with their families, partners and friends – attended the function.

ADAVB’s Vice President, Dr Jo-Anne Cherry, encouraged the graduates to be involved in community work. 

Professor of Dentistry Peter Wilson, and Branch Councillor Dr Ben Keith, who is Clinical Director, and other staff celebrated with the students. Prof Wilson is pictured here, receiving from Dr Allsion Sahhar, a special plaque prepared by the 2012 year

Dental services will be stretched - ADAVB

Public dental services will be stretched following today’s Budget, the President of the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch, Dr Gordon Burt, said.

He said that the $3.3 million increase (1.76%) in the dental health services budget did not match CPI running at 2.5% (March quarter 2012-March quarter 2013 ABS), nor did it recognize that the State’s population continued to grow at 1.7% annually (ABS September quarter 2012).

Dr Burt said that Dental Health Services Victoria’s resources would come under further pressure, needing to meet the set waiting times for restorative dental care (23 months) and dentures (22 months). These targets are unchanged from 2012-13.

“Perhaps the modest increase anticipates the addition of Federal funding for the Adult Public Dental Services program from 2014. In the meantime the Victorian Budget will not reduce waiting times, leaving many Victorians still waiting for dental care,” he said.

“The pre-Budget announcement that the Western Dental Clinic Footscray would be replaced was a most welcome improvement to public dental infrastructure.”

Broadband connection helps country dental students

Technology Minister Gordon Rich-Phillips (right) visited The University of Melbourne campus in Shepparton to officially launch the “switch on‟ of the Uni TV trial that was funded under Round 1 of the State Government’s $18 million Broadband Enabled Innovation Program.

The 18 month project is being delivered by the Institute for a Broadband Enabled Society, in collaboration with the Melbourne Dental School at The University of Melbourne.

“As part of the trial, students and clinicians on placement in Shepparton will have the opportunity to view live and pre-recorded broadcasts of lectures, seminars and surgical demonstrations from the Melbourne Oral Health Training and Education Centre,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.