Children living in remote South Australia are almost twice as likely to have a cavity, or missing or filled teeth as their city counterparts.
That is according to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), which conducts a twice-yearly outback oral health program.
The program, run in conjunction with the University of Adelaide’s School of Dentistry and piloted in 2011, was recently extended for three years through a partnership with Adelaide Airport.
As part of the program, senior dental students were to be flown to remote communities including Marla/Mintabie, the Gawler Ranges and the Birdsville Track.
RFDS Central Operations General Manager of Health Services Dr John Setchell said the continuation of the program meant the Flying Doctors would be able to address serious health shortcomings in more communities.
“The pilot program uncovered serious problems and even worse potential health issues created by a lack of regular oral care services, with as many as two in three school-age children and three-quarters of adults having at least one cavity,” he said.
However, Dr Setchell said the program had shown signs of success from the very first clinic run.
Simple treatments, particularly for children, including the application of fluoride gel or a fissure sealant, meant few patients required follow-up treatment on their subsequent six-monthly visit to the clinic, and no children presented with new cavities.
“A significant proportion of those who received a dental examination and treatment during their first visit showed significant improvements in oral health at subsequent visits,” Dr Setchell said.
In 2013/14, there were 96 patients, including 38 children, who attended the clinic.
Remote areas clinics offer students ‘great opportunity’
Final-year dentistry and dental hygiene students based at the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Oral Health in Whyalla conducted a number of treatments during the two-day fly-in clinics under supervision including:
- atraumatic restorative therapy, involving the treatment of tooth decay without anaesthetic or drills;
- the application of a fissure sealant and/or fluoride gel treatment to prevent tooth decay; and
- tooth extractions where necessary.
The students also conducted formal community oral health sessions to increase awareness of the link between poor oral health and chronic disease.
Adelaide dental student Katherine Rao said that as well as providing a valuable service to remote communities, the oral health clinics were a great opportunity for metropolitan-based students.
“It’s a great opportunity to start off with – none of us have been outback before,” she said.
“It’s just so different to what we’re used to as students based in Adelaide; it’s a real eye-opener being up here.”
Dental visit more than a day’s drive before RFDS program
Ms Rao said the program provided much-needed basic treatment to patients who were usually far too isolated.
“We’ve had to use what’s available using some fairly basic equipment apart from what we brought along ourselves,” she added
Five-year-old Elke Kerin is one of the patients making use of the RFDS oral health clinic.
Elke’s parents, Mat and Lynly Kerin, manage North Well Station near Kingoonya.
Before the RFDS began its oral health program, the Kerin family and people living in similarly remote areas has no regular access to dental services.
For many, a visit to the dentist was more than a day’s drive away.
The RFDS said it identified a need for the service after a review of more than 400 medical records of patients attending regular remote RFDS GP clinics.
The review found 20 per cent of the patients had presented to the doctor in the previous two years for management of a dental emergency.