The Gaps in dental health
The Gaps in dental health
The health of indigenous Australian communities is in a poor state. People of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent often experience:
- lower quality of life than other Australians due to ill health
- lifestyle choices that harm wellbeing
- more challenges when accessing health services
- more mental illness
- higher hospitalisation than the wider community.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children also have higher levels of dental disease than non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (especially those in socially disadvantaged groups and those living in remote areas) and those levels are rising. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults experience:
- more than double the level of tooth decay of non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults
- more gum disease than non-indigenous adults
- loss of all their teeth more often and at an earlier age.
National Close the Gap Day, Thursday 20 March 2014, brings an opportunity to show your support, to talk about, to spread the word, and to take action to improve the oral health and general wellbeing of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members.
How is DHSV helping to close the gap?
Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) is helping to ‘close the gap’ by supporting recruitment of indigenous staff and encouraging more indigenous patients to seek dental care. DHSV recently instated the Indigenous Trainee Program to help find new staff for roles at The Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne (RDHM).
DHSV also offers support to all indigenous patients through indigenous liaison officers, and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guide to RDHM has been created specifically to help patients feel more at ease in our hospital.
Click here to view DHSV services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.
So what is a traineeship in dental assisting like?
We asked Wazana Maza, one of our indigenous trainees how she has found her role so far…
“Dental assistants work closely with dental professionals, helping them to treat and educate patients, provide administrative support and help maintain and clean the dental equipment. I’ve found this role a refreshing challenge. I’m learning so much and am really loving meeting new people and developing my clinical skills.”
How does your role help our community?
“With more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the team, DHSV is able to better communicate and associate with indigenous patients at RDHM and make them feel more comfortable in a culturally appropriate hospital environment.”
Why is this traineeship so important?
“It is so important that we start at the local level and work our way up to overall better health outcomes for indigenous communities. Typically the health of the indigenous community is far worse than that of non-Aboriginal people and I want to help fix that.
Plus I get to meet new people, learn so much and care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients from all over Victoria and help them get the care they need.”
How does the traineeship work?
“The dental assistant traineeships run for 18 months and are primarily based at RDHM, Carlton. The program provides trainees with a dedicated mentor, support from the DHSV Aboriginal Community Development Worker, paid study days, monthly days off for personal use, learning and development opportunities and access to a wide range of dental technology and resources. It really is a great way to get involved in improving local indigenous health outcomes.”
Best part of the job?
“The best part of this whole experience is knowing that I’m making a real difference. The key to achieving health equality is working in partnership with Aboriginal people. My Certificate III Dental Assisting will help me to learn new skills to treat people from my community (and the surrounding ones too) and contribute to improving the dental health of people most in need of care.”
Wazana is one of four indigenous DA trainees at RDHM. Please visit our Dental Jobs website for the latest job updates.
Meet our DHSV DA trainees Wazana, Kirrilee, Melissa and Alwin