“A proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have good oral health. On average, however, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience poor oral health earlier in their lifespan and in greater severity and prevalence than the rest of the population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are also less likely to receive treatment to prevent or address poor oral health, resulting in oral health care in the form of emergency treatment.”
Photo above : Gari Watson is a Goreng Goreng, Gangulu and Biri Gubba man who grew up in Brisbane, Queensland Gari was the third Indigenous dentist to graduate from James Cook University (JCU) in 2014. Gari is currently working at the Institute for Urban Indigenous health in his hometown of Brisbane. “Working in Indigenous health, with my people, is my passion in life,” said Gari. “Working on the frontline to improve oral health and contributing to closing the gap in Indigenous health equality is exactly where I want to be. I’m living the dream.” PHOTO Wayne Quilliam from the NACCHO Aboriginal Health in Aboriginal Hands Photo series exhibition soon to tour Australia
- There is limited representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the oral health workforce and many dental services are not culturally sensitive. For example, strict appointment times and inflexibility regarding ‘failure to attend’ may result in a fee to the consumer.
- Trends indicate that the high-level dental decay in deciduous (baby) teeth is rising
- Aboriginal people aged 15 years and over, attending public dental services, experience tooth decay at three times the rate of their Non-Indigenous counterparts and are more than twice as likely to have advanced periodontal (gum) disease
- Aboriginal people experience complete tooth loss at almost five times the rate of the non-Indigenous population
- The rate of potentially preventable dental hospitalisations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is higher than other Australians. Accessibility of services is a key factor contributing to the current gap between the oral health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the rest of the population.
- More than two in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 15 defer or avoid dental care due to cost. This is compared with one in eight (12.2%) who delayed or did not go to a GP.
Improving the overall oral health of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will require more than a focus on oral health behaviours. Culture, individual and community social and emotional wellbeing, history, demography, social position, economic characteristics, biomedical factors, and the available health services within a person’s community all form part of the complex causal web which determines an individual’s oral health status.
Picture Above : Gari Watson – Dentistry Full Bio
It is a great oral plan, thanks for sharing. I wish more and more people take advantage of it. I am also spreading awareness about detail care and oral hygiene, you can check the same here at http://www.toothdecayandoralhygiene.com