The Healthier Smiles Community Service Grants are open for 2023

Would you like to make a difference to the oral health of disadvantaged Australians?

If you’re an ADA member dentist and dental student with a passion for improving the oral health outcomes of disadvantaged groups throughout Australia, you can now apply for US$82,000 (approx. AU$121,386*) in funding.

The Healthier Smiles Community Service Grants (the Grants), a joint initiative of the Australian Dental Health Foundation and Mars Wrigley Foundation, provide recipients with the funds to implement oral health community service, education, and preventative care in some of the highest risk and most in-need communities across Australia.

With more than US$900,000 (approx. AU$1.36 million*) already invested over a decade in oral health screening, treatment and education, the Grants are offering 10 x US$8,200 grants (approx. AU$12,135*) this year for registered ADA member dentists or students.

The Grants have three main aims:

- To enable the delivery of oral health programs that provide sustained benefits – screening, treatment and education – for disadvantaged groups throughout Australia;

- To promote the work the dental community is doing to address oral health inequities faced by disadvantaged members of the Australian community; and

- To ensure Australia’s oral health outcomes continue to improve through improved access, delivery and education.
 

The Pyjama Fairy: ‘brush, book, bed’ project (BBB)

The BBB programs provide a simple ‘sticky’ message to help families understand the importance of good night-time routines for children, especially tooth-brushing, reading together, and getting to bed at a regular time each night. BBB is a way to help oral health professionals and teachers communicate more than one health message in a single delivery.

By providing families with a bedtime bag that includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, brushing timer, age-appropriate children’s oral health activities, a children’s picture book and healthy sleep resources, parents and carers can engage in establishing good oral hygiene, literacy and sleep habits each night for their children.
 

Homeless Smile Project

The grant to Cairns JCU Dental has been divided between Wheels of Wellness (outreach charity service for homeless people requiring dentistry who are transported to the dental clinic) and permission was also given to include the provision of sports mouthguards to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living at Cape York AFL House.

“It’s a unique life experience for the kids,” Sean Hunter, the Boarding Manager of AFL House says. “They get to come here and learn a few things and take home some new information and these special mouthguards. Ultimately, it’s about the protection of the mouth, but having them branded in Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island colours creates a deadly message for these young people. They will be proud to wear it and they will be representing where they are from every time they smile on the footy field.”

For a full list of past recipients and to apply for a grant, go to the Australian Dental Health Foundation’s dedicated page by visiting ADHF Community Service Grants

* The exact amount distributed in AU$ may fluctuate with the exchange rate at the time of distribution.