Dental clinic led by students improves health of regional Indigenous community

A study by the University of Queensland (UQ) has found that a student-led dental clinic established as a partnership between the University of Queensland’s School of Dentistry and Aboriginal community controlled Goondir Health Services is improving the oral health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by providing access to culturally appropriate and timely care free of charge.

Treating approximately 800 people a year from the Dalby and the Greater Downs region, the clinic’s services are delivered by fifth year students from UQ’s Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours) program who are supervised by registered, experienced dental practitioners.

UQ’s School of Dentistry, Dr Sandra March, says that the model "offers benefits for both the students and the surrounding communities ... with more than 180 students will have completed a rural Indigenous clinical outplacement at the Dalby clinic."

“We found this powerful learning environment developed students’ skills and knowledge in culturally appropriate dental care.”

The clinic model fulfills a need in rural and remote areas which, notes Associate Professor Ratilal Lalloo from UQ’s School of Dentistry, where "culturally appropriate and timely dental care is often not available to Indigenous people.

“Indigenous people suffer from more caries, periodontal disease and tooth loss than non-Indigenous people,” Dr Lalloo said.

“We worked with Indigenous people from Goondir Health Services and local community groups to understand the barriers to oral health care.”

The CEO of Goondir Health Services says the model could be applied in a number of health settings across rural and remote areas observing that “The two-way relationship between general and oral health and accessibility to both primary health care services and oral health services in one location reduces the chance of negative impacts to our clients’ overall health."