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MEDIA RELEASE

26 October 2015

Bigger Better Smiles in Gippsland

As we celebrate National Children’s Week, Dental Health Services Victoria is reminding families in Gippsland to think about oral health as a key factor to overall good health.

Chief Executive Officer Dr Deborah Cole said tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood.

“Every child is at risk but we know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have twice the level of decay than non-Aboriginal children (Jamieson et al, 20007).  Working with Aboriginal Health Services is critical if we are to close this gap.

“As the disease progresses it can impact on general health, affect speech, cause sleep problems, self-esteem issues and impact on learning.”

Dental Health Services Victoria recently delivered the Bigger Better Smiles (BBS) Education Program at Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) in Gippsland, visiting Lake Tyres and Morwell communities.

There are now 30 staff working in Central and East Gippsland that are ready to promote bigger better smiles for children.

One participant in an earlier training session said:

“I enjoyed it all and found it very interesting; the knowledge gained today will certainly be useful and relevant to my current practice”.

Dr Cole said Bigger Better Smiles was developed especially for staff working with Aboriginal families resulting in the training being more meaningful to participants who become enthused about factoring oral health into their individual role as well as the organisation in which they work.

“The aim of the training is to provide staff at the ACCHOs with basic knowledge around oral health and how they can incorporate this awareness into their practice to encourage and enable more Aboriginal people to take care of their oral health as well as access dental services.”

The staff attending ranged from Aboriginal Health workers; early childhood workers; practice nurses; a general practitioner, family support workers; teachers; maternal and child health nurses; koorie maternity services; tutors; and youth workers.

“These workers are a trusted source of advice and support for families and the training equips staff with the knowledge and confidence to engage with families to improve oral health,” said Dr Cole.

Bigger Better Smiles was piloted over two days at the Mallee District Aboriginal Co-operative in May 2014, and in 2015 has been delivered at ACCHOs in Bendigo and now in Gippsland through a partnership with Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Cooperative, Latrobe Community Health and Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative Central and East Gippsland.

Note to editors

Below are some figures for children 0-17 yrs treated in 2014/15 by each of the DHSV agencies in the Gippsland region

For more information please contact Ms Suzana Talevski on 0407 961 413 or email Suzana.talevski@dhsv.org.au