19 June 2014
With a study published last week finding the prevalence of dental problems to be three times greater in homeless people than other Australians, Dr Deborah Cole, head of Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV), is putting the money where her mouth is at Vinnie’s 2014 CEO Sleepout.
Speaking before embarking on a night under the stars at Etihad Stadium, Dr Cole said marginalised members of the Victorian community often go without dental treatment because of costs and psychological pressures associated with homelessness. She said combatting the endemic problem of poor dental hygiene among homeless people was very important in the fight to help marginalised citizens back into society.
“I’m sleeping out to show the important role oral health plays in enabling wider community health and wellbeing,” Dr Cole said. “Dental treatment and health promotion activities can help to restore confidence and dietary habits in marginalised people, and provide positive health outcomes.”
DHSV’s most recent statistics show 1322 patients across the state identified as homeless in 2012-2013, but true numbers are believed to be far higher, due to the social stigma associated with being homeless. “Becoming homeless is not as simple as just losing a house to live in” said Dr Cole, “it incorporates a huge number of personal and social challenges, and access to health care and dental care is a large part of that.”
DHSV treats those experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness as priority patients, and operates a clinic for case-worker referred patients at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Ozanam House in North Melbourne.
The organisation also donates toothbrushes and toothpaste packs to the City of Melbourne’s annual StreetCount of those sleeping rough, and participates in the RDNS Homeless Peoples Program’s Where the Heart is… festival each March. At this year’s festival, DHSV conducted around fifty open mouth exams, and distributed more than 700 oral health packs to homeless attendees. Referrals were also issued for follow up appointments.
Dr Cole said it was important to remember that although more can be done, help is available for homeless people who have been referred to clinics: “There are 88 clinics state-wide that homeless people can access for free,” she said. “Our challenge is to change the culture of putting off treatment, which only makes matters worse for homeless citizens further down the track.”
For information about DHSV services for homeless people and people at risk of homelessness, telephone 03 9341 1000.