The role of community pharmacists as oral health advisors in the management of oral effects of asthma medications: an exploratory survey.

Objectives: To investigate community pharmacists' attitudes, confidence, practice, knowledge, and barriers towards the management of oral side effects of asthma medications.

Methods: A paper-based questionnaire was developed from previous research, trialled, and validated. Convenience sampling through web search was used to identify pharmacy practices across Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

Teaching health promotion competencies in undergraduate dentistry training: A unique pedagogical approach.

Issue Addressed: Using appropriate pedagogical approaches in undergraduate dentistry training is important to develop student's health promotion knowledge, and to shape their attitude towards using these competencies in future dentistry practice. This brief report documents the signature pedagogical approach developed for an undergraduate health science subject at James Cook University, to teach dentistry students health promotion competencies.

Pedagogical Approach: The signature pedagogy involves three key approaches - experiential learning, cooperative learning and inquiry-based learning.

Dental anxiety in patients attending a student dental clinic.

Background: This study investigated the expectations and experiences of a sample of new patients visiting an Australian regional university Student Dental Clinic with regard to anxiety provoking and alleviating stimuli in the clinical environment. Differences in anxiety levels were examined by age, gender and the type of procedure undergone.

Methods: The number of dental patients who participated in the study was 102 (56 males, 43 females).

Applying social innovation theory to examine how community co-designed health services develop: using a case study approach and mixed methods.

Background: Citizen participation in health service co-production is increasingly enacted. A reason for engaging community members is to co-design services that are locally-appropriate and harness local assets. To date, much literature examines processes of involving participants, with little consideration of innovative services are designed, how innovations emerge, develop and whether they sustain or diffuse.

Disparities in dental health of rural Australians: hospitalisation rates and utilisation of public dental services in three communities in North Queensland.

Introduction: The oral health of rural Australians continues to lag behind that of those living in metropolitan areas. Research has shown that people living in rural areas are more likely to suffer from dental caries (decay), visit the dentist less often and have poorer access to oral health services. The purpose of the study was to examine hospitalisations for dental conditions and utilisation of public dental services in three rural communities in Queensland compared with the whole of Queensland.