Tooth Mob Dental Volunteer Program

Welcome to the Tooth Mob Dental Volunteer Program page on the Charlie Perkins Trust website. The program is part of the Charlie Perkins Trust Volunteer Dental Program.

This dental project was established to facilitate dental treatment in remote communities of the Katherine region in the Northern Territory, in order to close the gap in health inequity for Indigenous people.

The Charlie Perkins Trust

The Charlie Perkins Trust for Children & Students was formed in 2002 in the memory of the late Dr. Charlie Perkins AO. The Trust has worked to assist in the areas of Indigenous health and education. In recent years the Trust has assisted with the funding of a dialysis unit in Kintore (Northern Territory), swimming pools in Kintore and Maningrida (Northern Territory), annual prizes for Indigenous students at Sydney University and scholarships to Oxford University.

Background: Identifying the Gap

The oral health situation in many Indigenous communities is at crisis level. As a result of low overall health standards and the limited provision of dental services to these communities, there is a large backlog of patients suffering from acute and chronic dental problems. A significant obstacle in improving the oral health of many Indigenous communities is the lack of dental services, particularly in remote Australia. Although there are facilities, operating clinics and equipment in the communities, there is a critical lack of dentists.

Partnership approach

This program in underpinned by the principle of working with the communities, not for them. The program involves a collaborative partnership between the Trust, a local Indigenous organisation, Sunrise Aboriginal Health, which is responsible for 10 health clinics located in remote communities of East Katherine, Northern Territory Health and Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC). Volunteer dental teams work in the existing health clinics and are able to draw upon the experience and expertise of health clinic staff. Northern Territory Health and Remote Area Health Corps also provide support to this project ensuring an effective program which responds appropriately and efficiently to community needs.

Project model

Volunteer dental teams of two dentists and two dental nurses are recruited to carry out the treatment in the Sunrise Health clinics in East Katherine. As an initial step, to deal with the backlog of patients suffering from chronic dental problems, volunteer dental teams will be sent to the region over a period of 12 months. At the conclusion of this 12 month period, the needs of each community will be assessed with a view to establishing an ongoing and self-sustaining dental volunteer program ideally involving local community members to maintain the program.

Sunrise Health clinics have been selected for the initial pilot project due to their strong reputation as an effective and well-organised Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service. Sunrise Health also offers volunteer dentists the unique opportunity to work in remote communities. It is anticipated that the project will be expanded to other communities as the project expands its scope in working towards improving oral health care in Aboriginal communities throughout Australia.

Project objectives

This is not a blitz program. This program is designed to establish regular treatment which goes beyond emergency care and crisis management. This program aims to improve access to dental treatment and also address the underlying causes of health inequity. The program supports existing Sunrise Health programs, which seek to tackle the wider determinants of poor health, and also supports the work of local Aboriginal organisations.

Essentially, the aims of this program are:

1. To provide essential dental treatment to remote communities through coordination of a rotating roster of volunteer dental teams.
2. To ensure the continuation of a sustainable oral health program through development of preventative educational programs and a focus on the transfer of skills and knowledge to Indigenous workers.
3. To build a strong and dynamic pilot program, capable of being rolled out more generally around Australia.

Volunteering to make a difference

This program is not solely about providing dental treatment. This program provides volunteers with the unique opportunity to work in remote Indigenous communities and contribute to improving health outcomes for Indigenous Australians ’Äì an experience which is incredibly challenging yet rewarding, confronting yet eye-opening, fulfilling and exciting.

As a volunteer dentist or nurse, all flights (departing major Australian cities), accommodation, insurance and registration expenses are covered.

Registering interest

If you would like the opportunity to volunteer in the Tooth Mob program, please download and complete this application form [Word document] and return it to the following address or by email:

Dr Chris Kennedy and Sophie Ryan providing treatment at Bulman clinic.	Dr Michael Ryan providing treatment at Barunga clinic.