Results of a two year dental health education program to reduce dental caries in young Aboriginal children in New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a dental health education program, 'Smiles not Tears' in preventing Early Childhood Caries in young Aboriginal children.

Basic Research Design: Community trial.

Clinical Setting: Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in rural, remote and metropolitan areas in New South Wales, Australia.

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.

Factors that influence the preventive care offered to adolescents accessing Public Oral Health Services, NSW, Australia.

Background: Many adolescents are at risk of dental caries and periodontal disease, which may be controlled through health education and clinical preventive interventions provided by oral health and dental therapists (therapists). Senior clinicians (SCs) can influence the focus of dental care in the New South Wales (NSW) Public Oral Health Services as their role is to provide clinical support and advice to therapists, advocate for their communities, and inform Local Health District (LHD) managers of areas for clinical quality improvement. The objective of this study was to record facilitating factors and strategies that are used by SCs to encourage therapists to provide preventive care and advice to adolescent patients.

A qualitative study examining the preparedness of dental hygiene students for a service-learning placement in residential aged care.

Introduction: The aim of this qualitative study was to measure the effect of a specifically designed orientation re-enactment DVD used to facilitate dental hygiene students transition from the classroom to a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) service-learning placement with less personal anxiety and more confidence in their role during the placement.

Methodology: Final year students (n = 47) were randomly allocated to one of 17 RACFs on the NSW, Central Coast, Australia. All students were then randomly allocated to a two-group study with the active group assigned to view the DVD prior to their placement.

An assessment of preventive care offered to orthodontic patients by oral health therapists in NSW Australia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to record preventive oral health care planned by dental therapists and oral health therapists (therapists) for patients with poor oral hygiene undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional survey, using a clinical vignette of a patient with poor oral hygiene undergoing therapy with a fixed appliance, was undertaken to record the preventive care offered to this individual by therapists working across 15 Local Health Districts (LHDs). This orthodontic vignette was inserted between two dental caries-related vignettes.