 Promoting oral health in disability Day Services[PDF, 845KB] |
A new report shows Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) has helped improve the oral health of more than 560 disability Day Service clients during the last financial year.
DHSV partnered with the Department of Human Services to offer small grants to 21 Day Services across the state, and to help each Day Service develop a number of oral health promotion projects.
The projects included: installing water fountains and providing water bottles to encourage clients to drink more tap water; integrating oral health into existing cooking, health, and art programs; and planting edible gardens to promote eating fresh fruit and vegetables.
A carer from one of the Day Services providers, Shepparton Access, said: “The activities were enjoyed by all and became part of the general discussions and conversations for the month and beyond.
“Some people continue to tell us that they have cleaned their teeth in the morning, a practice which had previously not been the case,” the carer said.
The report, Promoting oral health in disability Day Services 2012-13, was released today to coincide with International Day of People with Disability.
A Special Care Unit is available at The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne for people with intellectual or physical disabilities. For further information, call 1300 360 054 (standard charges apply).