Economic evaluation of the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service programme in Australia.

Objectives: To critically evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service (MIOH-DS) designed to improve oral health of pregnant Australian women. Previous efficacy and process evaluations of MIOH-DS showed positive outcomes and improvements across various measures.

Design And Setting: The evaluation used a cost-utility model based on the initial study design of the MIOH-DS trial in Sydney, Australia from the perspective of public healthcare provider for a duration of 3 months to 4 years.

Rural clinical school dental graduates views on rural and metropolitan employment.

Introduction: There is a maldistribution of dental professionals working in rural and remote regions of Australia. This study investigates dental graduates from a newly established rural clinical school (RCS) at Charles Sturt University (CSU), New South Wales, Australia, and records graduates' workforce locations and views on working in both metropolitan and rural practice.

Materials And Methods: In late 2015 to early 2016, CSU graduates of 2013 and 2014 were asked to complete a telephone interview related to their employment choices.

The workforce outcomes of dental graduates from a metropolitan school 'Rural Clinical Placement Program' versus a 'Rural Clinical School'.

Introduction: This study compares the workplace decisions from University of Sydney (USYD) dental graduates who participated in a 1-month voluntary Rural Clinical Placement Program (RCPP), USYD graduates who did not participate in the RCPP (non-RCPP), and with graduates who qualified from a dental Rural Clinical School (RCS) at Charles Sturt University (CSU).

Methodology: From mid-2015, USYD students who graduated between 2009 and 2013, and CSU graduates from 2013 to 2014, were requested to complete a telephone interview related to employment choices. For USYD, 135 interviews were completed (63% of contactable graduates) and for CSU, 39 interviews (68%).

Effectiveness of preventive dental programs offered to mothers by non-dental professionals to control early childhood dental caries: a review.

Background: Early childhood caries is a common chronic childhood disease and maternal oral health is a risk factor. Improving the oral health behaviours of pregnant women/young mothers can positively influence the oral health of children and reduce their caries risk. Such preventative strategies have been undertaken by non-dental professionals producing mixed results encompassing various interventions across the perinatal period.

Exploration of the factors that influence new Australian dental graduates to work rurally and their perspectives of rural versus metropolitan employment.

Introduction: The challenges in the recruitment and retention of dentists in rural Australia have contributed to a lack of dental service provision to rural communities. This paper explores the workforce factors involved in the employment location decisions of dentists' post-graduation.

Materials And Methods: Graduates between 2009 and 2013 from the University of Sydney, Dental School, were asked to complete a telephone interview related to their employment history.

A school fluoride varnish program for Aboriginal children in rural New South Wales, Australia.

Issue Addressed: Australian Aboriginal children are less likely to access preventive oral health services such as fluoride varnish. The regular application of fluoride varnish can prevent dental caries. This study aims to determine if a school-based fluoride varnish program can provide Aboriginal children with at least three fluoride varnish applications over 12 months and whether the routine application of fluoride varnish for Aboriginal children in schools is a feasible approach for oral health promotion in Aboriginal communities.

Enabling Aboriginal dental assistants to apply fluoride varnish for school children in communities with a high Aboriginal population in New South Wales, Australia: a study protocol for a feasibility study.

Background: Australian Aboriginal children experience high levels of dental caries (tooth decay) and are less likely to access preventive dental health services. High-strength fluoride varnish has been shown to reduce the incidence of dental caries and is commonly used in community-based preventive dental health service programs. In New South Wales, Australia, the application of fluoride varnish is restricted to dental and medical professionals.

Process evaluation of the midwifery initiated oral health-dental service program: Perceptions of dental professionals.

Issue Addressed: All pregnant women should have a comprehensive oral health evaluation. Unfortunately, many pregnant women seldom seek dental care and some dentists are hesitant to treat during pregnancy. To address these issues, the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health Dental Service (MIOH-DS) program was developed in Australia.

An assessment of strategies to control dental caries in Aboriginal children living in rural and remote communities in New South Wales, Australia.

Background: A community-led oral health service for Aboriginal people in Central Northern NSW identified the need for oral health promotion, as well as dental treatment; in three remote communities with limited access to dental services. A three-stage plan based on the Precede-Proceed model was used to develop a school-based preventive oral health program. The program will be piloted in three schools over 12 months aimed at improving the oral health of local Aboriginal children.

An epidemiological study of dental caries and associated factors among children residing in orphanages in Kerala, India: Health in Orphanages Project (HOPe).

Background: It is estimated that, as of 2010, there were 32 million orphaned children in India. There is little published information on the oral health of children in orphanages in India.

Aim: To determine caries status and associated risk factors among children in orphanages in Kerala, India.

Process evaluation of the midwifery initiated oral health-dental service program: Perceptions of midwives in Greater Western Sydney, Australia.

Background: Despite links between poor maternal oral health, adverse pregnancy outcomes and early childhood decay there is limited emphasis on maternal oral health in Australia. To address this, the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health Dental Service (MIOH-DS) program was developed in collaboration with the Australian College of Midwives.

Aims: To undertake a process evaluation and explore perceptions of midwives involved in the MIOH-DS program to determine its practicability, acceptability and feasibility if it were to be up-scaled and implemented into clinical practice.

A collaboration with local Aboriginal communities in rural New South Wales, Australia to determine the oral health needs of their children and develop a community-owned oral health promotion program.

Introduction: As part of an oral health service for Aboriginal people in central northern New South Wales (NSW), Australia, oral health promotion was identified as a priority by the local Aboriginal community. The objective of this study was to collaborate with local Aboriginal communities to determine (1) the oral health needs of Aboriginal children aged 5-12 years, (2) the oral health knowledge and attitudes towards oral health of parents/guardians and (3) the perceived barriers and enablers towards oral health promotion for school children by local school staff and community health workers. The results of this collaboration will inform a community-owned oral health promotion program.

Evaluation of a midwifery initiated oral health-dental service program to improve oral health and birth outcomes for pregnant women: A multi-centre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Oral health care during pregnancy is important for the health of the mother and child. However, pregnant women have limited knowledge about maternal oral health and seldom seek dental care. Further, due to limited training antenatal care providers like midwives rarely discuss oral health with pregnant women.

Oral Health Programmes in Indigenous Communities Worldwide-Lessons learned from the field: A qualitative systematic review.

Objectives: This systematic review examines the evidence on the effectiveness of programmes that aim to improve the oral health of Indigenous populations worldwide, as well as presents a qualitative analysis to explore the design and implementation of these initiatives.

Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched. Studies were included if they described an oral health programme for an Indigenous population in any country worldwide.

Using teledentistry in clinical practice as an enabler to improve access to clinical care: A qualitative systematic review.

Background Access to dental care is important for overall health, but can remain problematic for those in rural or isolated locations. It can be difficult to encourage clinicians to choose or continue a rural health career. Teledentistry is showing some promise as a strategy to support rural, isolated and new health care workers.

'I miss my family, it's been a while…' A qualitative study of clinicians who live and work in rural/remote Australian Aboriginal communities.

Objectives: Dental issues are more prevalent for Aboriginal Australians, especially those living in rural/remote locations, but distribution of clinicians is favoured towards metropolitan areas and are not always culturally competent. This study aimed to document the experiences of dental clinicians who relocated to rural/remote communities to provide dental services to Aboriginal communities in an effort to redress these gaps.

Setting: Clinicians working in a new rural/remote dental service strategy to Aboriginal communities in Northern NSW.

Measuring oral health during pregnancy: sensitivity and specificity of a maternal oral screening (MOS) tool.

Background: Midwives can play a key role in promoting the oral health of pregnant women and assessing their oral health status. A maternal oral assessment tool (MOS) was developed and pilot tested by the study investigators to assist midwives in this role and the results were promising. The aim of this study was to undertake further sensitivity and specificity assessment of the MOS tool using two-comparison approaches- the longer oral health screening tool known as the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and an oral assessment by trained study dentists.

Developing a Sustainable Model of Oral Health Care for Disadvantaged Aboriginal People Living in Rural and Remote Communities in NSW, Using Collective Impact Methodology.

A sustainable model of oral health care for disadvantaged Aboriginal people living in rural and remote communities in New South Wales was developed using collective impact methodology. Collective impact is a structured process which draws together organizations to develop a shared agenda and design solutions which are jointly resourced, measured and reported upon.

Client perspectives on an Aboriginal community led oral health service in rural Australia.

Objective: An oral health service was implemented, using a unique community development approach, for Northern NSW Australian Aboriginal communities in 2013-14. This study examined the views of children (and parents) who accessed the service, including: the extent of reported dental problems, oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, accessibility of oral health services, satisfaction and cultural sensitivity of the service.

Methods: A survey of the children who accessed this service was conducted between October 2014 and December 2014.

Developing a Sustainable Model of Oral Health Care for Disadvantaged Aboriginal People Living in Rural and Remote Communities in NSW, Using Collective Impact Methodology.

A sustainable model of oral health care for disadvantaged Aboriginal people living in rural and remote communities in New South Wales was developed using collective impact methodology. Collective impact is a structured process which draws together organizations to develop a shared agenda and design solutions which are jointly resourced, measured and reported upon.

An assessment of dental caries among young Aboriginal children in New South Wales, Australia: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Limited research has been undertaken in Australia to assess the dental status of pre-school Aboriginal children. This cross-sectional study records the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) and surfaces (dmfs) of pre-school Aboriginal children living in different locations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: A convenience sample of young children from seven Aboriginal communities in rural, remote and metropolitan areas of NSW, was recruited.

The evaluation of an oral health education program for midwives in Australia.

Background: Antenatal care providers are now recommended to promote oral health during pregnancy and provide dental referrals. However, midwives in Australia are not trained to undertake this role. To address this shortcoming, an online evidence based midwifery initiated oral health (MIOH) education program was systematically developed as a professional development activity.

Is there a place for Tooth Mousse in the prevention and treatment of early dental caries? A systematic review.

Background: It is important for Dental Professionals to consider the evidence for the effectiveness of the preventive strategies used to maintain good oral health and reduce the risk of caries in their patients. Whilst many of the traditional preventive activities, including the recommendation and use of fluoride products and the placement of fissure sealants have a wealth of clinical evidence to support their use, some of the newer preventive agents have a more limited evidence base. In order to investigate the level of scientific support behind one such technology, a systematic literature review was carried out to assess the effectiveness of Tooth Mousse (MI Paste) and Tooth Mousse Plus (MI Paste Plus) in the prevention and treatment of early dental caries.