September 16 program covers oral health in the bush
August 13, 2008A new Rural Health Education Foundation television program airing on Tuesday 16th September, Open Wide: Oral Health in the Bush, explores the special circumstances faced by people living in rural and remote areas, where the dental workforce shortage is particularly acute.
Open Wide: Oral Health in the Bush also looks at strategies to improve access to services in rural and remote Australia, and to refine the referral pathways, as well as highlighting the particular needs of Indigenous communities.
Program covers wide range of patient groups
“A person’s oral health depends on a variety of factors - biological, socio-economic and cultural - as well as the availability of health services,” says Rural Health Education Foundation CEO Don Perlgut. “Within that context, this new program considers the oral health needs of all age groups, those with special needs, and those with complex, chronic and disabling conditions.”
“While addressing the spectrum of oral illnesses, Oral Health in the Bush focuses on those associated with teeth and gums, and considers the impact that untreated dental/periodontal disease can have on general health,” says Mr Perlgut. “The program also examines the importance of non-dental health professionals in the prevention and promotion of good oral health.”
Program funding
Open Wide: Oral Health in the Bush is produced with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing.
Presented by an expert panel
The format of Open Wide: Oral Health in the Bush is a live panel discussion led by Dr Norman Swan and featuring leading medical practitioners including Professor Marc Tennant, Director of the Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health at the University of Western Australia in Perth; Ms Angela Masoe, Oral Health Programs Coordinator for the Greater Southern Area Health Service in Queanbeyan NSW; and Alice Springs-based Dentist Dr Bruce Simmons.
Broadcast details
The hour-long program will be broadcast live across the Rural Health Education Foundation’s satellite television network on Tuesday 16th September at 8pm (AEST), with repeats at 8.00pm Perth time that same evening (two hours later) and 12.30pm on Friday 19th September.
Periodontal disease - prevalent and preventable
Dental caries and periodontal disease are two of the most prevalent - and most preventable - illnesses in Australia. Nearly 50,000 Australians are hospitalised each year for preventable dental conditions. Periodontal disease also increases the risk of many chronic diseases and complicates their management.
More information
For more information on Open Wide: Oral Health in the Bush - including presenter details, access instructions and associated educational resources - refer to the program summary or contact the Foundation.