DHSV recognised for work to see Victorians smile brighter
Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) is one of three health services in the running for Victoria’s top health honour - the Premier’s Metropolitan Health Service of the Year award.
Each year the Victorian Department of Health’s prestigious Public Health Awards recognise innovation and excellence in improving hospital capacity, developing community-based health services, promoting healthy living, providing more extensive and high quality healthcare information, improving emergency services and creating more effective healthcare outcomes.
DHSV was shortlisted for the Premier’s award for its work to better the oral health of vulnerable Victorians, its innovative ideas to increase access to services and its forethought to prevent oral disease from occurring.
DHSV CEO, Dr Deborah Cole says winning the award would help showcase the great work being done at the grass roots level to combat dental diseases in the Victorian community.
“DHSV and the agencies that make up the public oral health network in Victoria are doing so much to help people across the state to take care of their teeth and gums,” she said.
“Oral health is essential for general health and wellbeing. We want to stop the development of the largely preventable oral diseases that plague Victorians, before they get to problematic status and we want to help those in need of treatment to access the quality services they need,” Dr Cole said.
The Premier will present four Awards for outstanding health service performance: Primary health service of the year, Rural health service of the year, Regional health service of the year and Metropolitan health service of the year – for which DHSV is a finalist.
“We’ve got plenty of fresh ideas and thoughts on how to tackle dental disease in the community and passionate people to deliver on these projects. That’s helping us to strengthen and grow the public dental sector and improve oral health of the people of Victoria.”
Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) was established in 1996 and is the leading public oral health agency in Victoria and is funded by the State Government to provide clinical dental services to eligible Victorians. DHSV helps provide Victorians with quality oral healthcare through The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne (RDHM) and by purchasing dental services for public patients from 57 community health agencies throughout Victoria.
The Public Healthcare Awards are presented annually.
Dr Deborah Cole is available for comment.
Media contact:
Lisa Fairweather
P: (03) 9341 1134 | 0402 373 585