At the weekend the Victorian Health Minister, David Davis, said the funding in the 2013/14 State Budget would enable work to start on the new dental clinic.
“It is fantastic news,” Dr Cole said. “The Western Region Health Centre is a part of the DHSV family and I want to congratulate the team for its hard work.”
Dr Cole said it was great to see the commitment to oral health by the Victorian Government.
“Oral health is vital for overall health and wellbeing,” Dr Cole said.
The CEO of WRHC, Lyn Morgain, said this commitment would enable WRHC to continue to deliver important dental care and extend dental services for the people in the west.
“In itself it recognises that good dental health is fundamental to being healthy and well and that poor dental health places greater burden on all health services,” Ms Morgain said.
DHSV is the leading public oral health agency in Victoria, providing dental services through The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne (RDHM) and purchasing dental services for public patients from 57 community health agencies throughout Victoria – one of which is the dental clinic at Western Region Health Centre.
It also delivers oral health promotion programs across Victoria to improve oral health in the community and reduce demand on public dental services.
DHSV also has a significant role in oral health applied research and supporting education and training for Victoria’s current and future oral health professionals.