Consensus panel to update oral health messages for the Australian public

Dental diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease are prevalent despite being largely preventable.

One in three Australians over 15 years of age suffer from moderate to severe gum disease and over 40% of children aged 5-10 years have had dental caries in their primary teeth. The broad implications at an individual and societal level are significant. 

In 2019-2020 the combined expenditure on dental disease in Australia was 9.5 billion dollars and around 4 in 10 people over the age of 15 years avoided or delayed visiting a dentist due to cost.

A focused and strategic approach to oral health promotion is required to deliver consistent, evidence-based oral health messages across different states and sectors. The Melbourne Dental School at the University of Melbourne together with the Australian Dental Association are leading a collaborative group to develop key oral health messages for the Australian public.
 
Updates on the project can be found here.

If you are interested in joining the expert Delphi voting group, please click here to express you interest in the project, no later than 5pm, Monday 21 November 2022.

The investigators for this project are Dr Mihiri Silva and Dr Rachelle Welti. For more information, please email paed-dent@unimelb.edu.au