Issue 28 July/August 2013
The official journal of the Dental Hygienists’ Association of Australia Inc.
Analysis Primary Health Care Model
State of the Nation Report round-up
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How quickly a year goes! I can’t believe that I have been Editor now for 12 months. It has been a steep learning curve and I am truly enjoying the experience. As Hellen mentions in her Presidents Message on page four, many of us involved on the State and/or National Executive are inexperienced in our various positions but we are eager to learn and embrace the challenge. It should be noted that being on the DHAA Executive Committee has benefits including being involved in making important decisions on the current and future goals of the Association, scheduling dates for future events and making connections with other people on the executive team, and of course, the members. Yes, it can be time consuming but it is crucial that we remain a strong association on all levels to ensure that the hygiene profession continues to evolve and progress. Since joining the executive team I have continued to work full-time and maintain my various hobbies. During this time the guidance and support from Hellen and the team has been invaluable, particularly with the transition of The Bulletin to a digital format. I would like to make special mention to our IT Rep, Josh Galpin, and Steve Moore of eroomcreative.com, for their help in this process. In our first truly electronic issue we have some great features. Growing Up Smiling discusses the new Growing Up Smiling (GUS) dental scheme due to start in January 2014; and Prevention Better than Cure, looks into the current primary health care model and how it is failing our communities. Well worth reading! As always, I hope everyone enjoys this edition of The Bulletin and please email me if you have any articles to contribute – it would be greatly appreciated! Lauren Jarrett Editor
The Bulletin Editor
Lauren Jarrett loz.jarrett@gmail.com Design
Steve Moore steve@eroomcreative.com
Contents 05 President’s Message Reviewing the benefits of DHAA membership.
07 Industrial Relations Read this before considering changing your employment conditions.
09 DHAA Research Fund Providing a better future for our industry.
10 C OVER STORY Growing Up Smiling New children’s dental scheme fails to recognise the benefits of prevention.
14 P revention better than cure Examining the flaws in the current primary care model.
18 State of the Nation A round up of all the state happenings.
26 Planner All the 2013 CPD events in one handy table.
National Executive PRESIDENT Hellen Checker
TREASURER Cheryl Day
CONTACT
CONTACT
NATIONAL ADMINISTRATOR Patricia Chan CONTACT
IT Rep Josh Galpin CONTACT
The Bulletin is an official publication of the DHAA Inc. Contributions to The Bulletin do not necessarily represent the views of the DHAA Inc. All materials in this publication may be readily used for non-commercial purposes.
OHASA
Standard Registration closes July 12th 2013 Visit us @http://www.embassyconferences.co.za/portfolio/present/19thinternational-symposium-on-dental-hygiene/10
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The DHAA continues to grow in strength and membership and is constantly expanding membership services. The success of the Association is due to a healthy membership and your amazing state executives and national councillors and your dedicated editors and industrial relations team. Next time you attend a Branch CPD meeting or AGM please be sure to thank the team that facilitates activities at your branch level and represents you at national level. The demographic of your volunteer leaders may surprise you. A recent National Branch Report on DHAA Leadership revealed that 10.34% of leadership roles were held by males, while males constituted a growing 6% of the DHAA membership and only 2% of the registered dental hygienists workforce in 2011 (AIHW 2012). An inspiring 48% of leadership roles were occupied by leaders under 34 years of age and 69% of leaders were under 44 years of age. The average age of nationally registered dental hygienists in 2011 was 37.4 years (AIHW 2012). According to the AIHW Dental Workforce study in 2011 Australian nationally registered hygienists worked 29.1 hours a week. Of the DHAA leaders surveyed 55% worked more hours than a 34 hour week and 20% of leaders surveyed worked in excess of a 38 hour week and 68% had less than 18 months experience in leadership roles. The total number of volunteer hours for the DHAA in a 12 month period by DHAA leaders was in excess of 3500 hours. References: AIWH. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s health workforce. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2011, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Canberra
DHAA survey results indicated that constraints on effective advocacy included gender bias of the DHAA membership, lack of leadership experience and scarcity of post –graduate qualifications among leaders in addition to a heavy reliance on over committed volunteers. The DHAA established that members who had postgraduate qualifications were not occupying leadership roles within the DHAA. The DHAA is a dynamic professional association and your young leaders are committed, enthusiastic and need your support and appreciation.
Hellen Checker DHAA National President
SEE BUY LEARN — SYDNEY
ADX14 Sydney Dental Exhibition AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER DENTAL EVENT
21–23 March 2014 Sydney Exhibition Centre www.adx.org.au
SEE BUY LEARN — SYDNEY
ADX14 Sydney is Australia’s premier event for dental hygienists. Over three days, you can see and buy the latest dental products in a world-class dental exhibition, and participate in a dental skills program that arms you with vital insights into the latest techniques and innovations. Why is ADX14 Sydney the must-attend event for dental hygienists? ◾ Free entry ◾ Full dental skills program ◾ On-site specials and offers on the latest products ◾ Discounted airfares and accommodation Organised and run by the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA), ADX14 Sydney allows both exhibitors and visitors to achieve the utmost results from participation. ADIA will work with you to maximise your investment in time by connecting you with seminar speakers, vendors and others within the dental sector to ensure your participation at ADX14 Sydney is worthwhile.
Request for further information — Simply complete this form to learn more about the exciting opportunities at the ADX14 Sydney dental exhibition. Contact person —
Business —
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As well as participating in ADX14 Sydney, take advantage of the discounted airfares and accommodation and include some sightseeing in Australia’s largest city. Use your attendance at ADX14 Sydney as a chance to visit Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach, tour the Sydney Opera House, or even climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Email —
ADX14 Sydney – See more, buy more, learn more.
Send me information about — [ ¿ ] ADX14 Sydney exhibitor [ ¿ ] ADX14 Sydney visitor
www.adx.org.au
Please return this form to — Twitter Feed @AdxSydney ADIA On Facebook www.facebook.com/adx.sydney
Australian Dental Industry Association GPO Box 960, Sydney, NSW, 2001 Australia f: 1300 943 794 e: sydney@adx.org.au
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ecently we have seen a steady increase of enquiries where employers are approaching employee DH/OHT wanting to change their employment conditions from a full or part-time employee to a contractor or to commission based remuneration. Some clarification is needed for the wider membership with regard to this. The ADA have a non-dentist contractor agreement available to their members which has been interpreted by some dental practices as being suitable for use for dental hygienists and oral health therapists. DHAA Inc respects the rights of members to make a cautious and informed choice about the type of engagement model that suits their individual and family circumstances. However, the DHAA Inc does not recommend or advocate contractor or “commission only” arrangements for dental hygienists or Oral Health Therapists, especially where the situation is transitioning from existing permanent employment. This transition may occur because private practitioners are selling their practices to large corporations or they are trying to reduce costs. Employment as a contractor can jeopardise your rights and security in many ways. Many of your entitlements
under the Fair Work Act including paid annual leave, paid personal leave, redundancy entitlements, long service leave and rights to unfair dismissal redress are no longer applicable. Sometimes, contractor status can be acceptable if is suits your own personal family financial circumstances and if a rate is being offered which is high enough to justify missing out on the other statutory entitlements. The fact that dental hygienists and oral health therapists are award free has nothing whatsoever to do with whether you are an employee or a contractor. An employer cannot force you to accept contractor status. It is an offence under the Fair Work Act. It is also an offence for a workplace to make any representations or threats to get you to change employment status to a contractor or to make statements to indicate that termination of employment will occur if you do not convert. A threat of termination of employment can include comments like “if you don’t get your contract back to us by Friday, you will not get paid.” Such comments are common and are unlawful. When negotiating employment arrangements we recommend using the DHAA contract template that is
available on the DHAA Inc web site under “Benefits - Industrial Relations”. This has been written and reviewed by our IR Advocate and Industrial Relations Consultant, Katrina Murphy, and our IR Team for DHAA members. It has been written very broadly so there may be clauses that you choose to remove if you feel they do not apply to your situation. We do not advocate changing the wording of any clauses, since you may risk altering the legal implications of that clause unknowingly. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to protect yourself when entering into an arrangement with a new employer (or transitioning to a new employer) by having a valid contract and this is definitely preferable to a contractor or commission based agreement. Finally, if you have any industrial relations issues that you need advice on, please ensure that when you contact the IR Advice Line, you include your full name (as on your membership), the state you are working in and your employment status (full-time, part-time, casual) as well as your enquiry. These simple things are needed to confirm your membership status and make it much easier for the IR team to answer your enquiry expeditiously. n
Please Note: The DHAA Inc IR Advisory Team are only trained in basic Industrial Relations concepts and if the reply given does not satisfy your concerns, you are encouraged to seek fee for service advice from an IR Lawyer in your local area at your own expense. Industrial Relations Advice Line is a DHAA Inc. member benefit.
Registrations open 11 September and close 9 October 2013
Paid Oral Health Therapist Graduate Pathway Launched for 2014 Oral Health Therapist graduates have the opportunity to be part of an exciting, new professional pathways program from 2014 The Oral Health Therapist Graduate Year Program (OHTGYP) offers selected new graduates not only a full 12 months’ paid experience, but a $10,000 bonus incentive when they complete the program. 50 Graduates will be selected for 2014, with entry to this valuable program being on a competitive basis.
It is anticipated that the specially-designed curriculum will be structured so that 80% of the program is devoted to clinical activity. The remaining 20% of placement time will be allowed for the non-clinical curriculum component, with professional support from an experienced mentor.
Supported by the Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists’ Association, the Program will be centred around experiences in a range of clinical settings, with online curriculum, mentoring and professional support throughout the year. The OHT’s salary is paid for by the Program.
The OHTGYP provides a vehicle through which oral health professionals can experience a professional year while serving those who need their help the most. Indigenous communities, regional and remote communities and urban communities will all benefit from the skill of the participating OHTs.
Service Providers from both metropolitan and regional/remote clinical settings will host OHT graduates to consolidate, polish and extend their expertise while addressing public oral health challenges. Providers may be in the public health sector or private, provided they are delivering public health services.
A warm welcome from host service providers will await each participant. Service providers will register to host graduates and will develop a plan for the clinical activities of the placement. Graduates will be matched and placed to meet their interests in balance with the oral health needs of communities. It is possible that a Graduate will work with 2 or more service providers during their graduate year, especially to experience urban and regional clinical settings.
The OHTGYP curriculum is currently under development. The Curriculum Development Team has broad experience in developing and delivering education programs for oral health therapists across Australia and is working to develop materials that will offer professional development in the full range of oral health therapist graduate skills. The curriculum will facilitate clinical and professional development through the use of case studies, webinars, case treatment reviews and communities of practice using web-based resources and learning materials. Mentoring and local professional support will strengthen the value of the curriculum for the recently graduated OHTs.
General information is available on the website including detail about the application process and documentation. Please start gathering any required information and be ready, as no late applications can be accepted. So, if being part of a dynamic team serving your community while enhancing your skills and being supported by experienced and engaged mentors appeals, then find out more at: www.aitec.edu.au/ohtgyp
Online applications open 11 September and close 9 October 2013
For OHTGYP information, please contact Di Ewens, Program Director or René Peters, Program Coordinator on 08 8232 9688, ohtgyp@aitec.edu.au or visit www.aitec.edu.au/ohtgyp/
The Oral Health Therapist Graduate Year Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
2013 ADIA Queensland Dental Show 11&12 OCTOBER 2013 — BRISBANE
The 2013 ADIA Queensland Dental Show has something for every dental hygienist. Come along to meet the leading local suppliers of quality dental products. 11&12 October 2013 Boulevard Level, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Bring your colleagues along to the 2013 ADIA Queensland Dental Show and find out what’s new and discuss your needs. The best part is it’s free to attend, so register online today. www.qds.org.au Issue 28 July/August 2013
The official journal of the Dental Hygienists’ Association of Australia Inc.
Promote your event or product to the Dental Hygienist community. To get yourself into the next edition of the new digital Bulletin send your enquiry to Lauren Jarrett The official journal of the DHAA Inc Analysis Primary Health Care Model
State of the Nation Report round-up
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The DHAA providing a brighter future for our industry
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he DHAA Inc. is proud to introduce a Dental Hygiene Research Fund (DHRF) for the members of the DHAA Inc. The objective is for members to enhance their careers, increase their personal and professional networks whilst positively contributing to the dental profession.
General Information The DHRF will be managed by the DHAA Inc. Research Fund Committee on behalf of DHAA Inc. A grant, up to the value of $3000, will be paid to any one recipient for a one year period. There may be multiple recipients. Monies may be received from other sources for the project. Ongoing funding for continuation of the same research will require another application. An advisory panel of three, comprising of a dentist or academic, a DHAA Inc. member with a research background, and another person external to the DHAA Inc. Research Fund Committee, will assess each research application based on set criteria. The DHAA Inc. Research Fund Committee has the final say as to the recipients of the grant and no correspondence will be entered into. All information is to be supplied by the due date and no application will be accepted after the closing date of 30 April in any calendar year. Ethics must be approved before payment to the grant recipient or institution.
Eligibility A grant recipient of the DHRF may be: • Any graduated clinician who is a member of the DHAA Inc. and who has Research support from a University. • Any University academic who is working with Dental Hygiene or BOH programs. • Any applicant must be a member of the DHAA Inc. Applications will be assessed on the following basis and have a higher weighting on scientific quality: • Scientific quality: this includes clarity of the hypothesis or research objectives, the strengths and weaknesses of the design and feasibility. • Significance and Innovation: potential to increase knowledge about human health; the application of new ideas, procedures, technology to program or health policy seeing; important topics that will positively impact human health. • Track record of investigators : the applicant / team must have the experience and support necessary to deliver the research • Appropriateness of the budget • Feasibility of the time frame Applicants are required to complete the application form – which can be downloaded from www.dhaa.info – and send three signed copies by registered mail to the following address:
DHAA Inc. National Administrator Ms Patricia Chan P O Box 64 North Sydney NSW 2059 Email: pchan0107@gmail.com
Successful Applicant Guidelines On notification of being a recipient of a DHAA Inc. Research Grant a Letter of Agreement will be sent outlining the conditions of accepting the grant. The letter of agreement will require co- signature by the research supervisor. The conditions of the grant are: • The applicant will give permission for their name and a summary of their application to be recorded on the DHAA Inc. web site, annual report of the DHAA Inc. and other areas where there may be a promotion opportunity. • The applicant is to speak and/ or present a poster at an agreed nominated conference with acknowledgement of recognised support by DHAA Inc. • A progress report is to be provided by the applicant on the status of the research after 12 months duration. • On completion of the research, an article will be provided that is suitable for publication in the DHAA Inc. Bulletin and the DHAA Inc. Journal. • The applicant is to supply full banking details for deposit of the grant by DHAA Inc. n
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he Dental Hygienists’ Association of Australia Inc. provided comments on the proposed Grow up Smiling Scheme (GUS) consultation due to commence in 2014. The DHAA Inc. also made broader comments about the scheme, particularly the lack of a preventive focus. The Submission may be viewed in its entirety at dhaa.info Growing up Smiling Dental Scheme may be viewed at comlaw.gov.au
Is GUS an evidence-based preventive program for child oral health? DHAA Inc. is a member of the Minimal Intervention Dentistry National Partnership Working Group (MID NPWG). This group made a detailed submission to the Acute Care Division dated 14 December 2012. DHAA Inc. asks that you refer back to this submission for a thorough understanding of our response to Grow up Smiling. Whilst broadly welcoming the
scheme, the MID NPWG urged the ‘adoption of a schedule of services that focuses on patient centred care and minimal intervention dentistry,’ noting that ‘the long term goal would be for children to adopt attitudes, oral health literacy and oral hygiene, dietary and dental attendance behaviours over time that establish their felt capacity to ensure their ongoing oral health’. In short, the MID NPWG recommended a scheme with a strong focus on preventing or minimising dental decay.
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The documentation states the GUS program aims ‘to assist in the provision of dental care to a specific cohort and for basic preventive and treatment dental services’. By definition, preventive services are targeted treatments before disease manifests. Their provision is actually an investment strategy for longer term population health. GUS does not deliver these preventive services. It cannot be described as a preventative scheme when essential items such as 131 (dietary advice), 141 (oral hygiene instruction) and 165 (application of Fluoride varnish) have been omitted from the schedule. Dietary analysis and advice and oral hygiene instruction are vital services that educate individuals and communities in skills necessary to maintain oral health and should be acknowledged as priority services within the preventive services schedule of items. Omitting dietary advice and oral hygiene instruction can be likened to providing poolside lifeguards without teaching children and parents water safety and swimming skills. It implies these services are a token add-on, not worthy of financial remuneration. This frustrates our efforts to deliver the invaluable message that the vast majority of oral diseases are preventable when patients or parents make the appropriate behaviour changes. GUS policy design should be evidenced based and must address the social determinants of oral health.
Short or long term goals of oral health literacy and behavioural change are not achievable without engaging the highly skilled oral health professional workforce to educate families and children at their dental visit, at school or in the community. The DHAA Inc. believes stakeholders should be provided with more detailed information about the policy design, its theoretical framework, impact indicators and the intended evaluation process. We therefore request further and more thorough consultation on these aspects of GUS.
What should GUS achieve? The DHAA Inc. recognises that GUS is part of a broader agenda to improve access to dental services and improve dental infrastructure and workforce. DHAA Inc. acknowledges the objectives of the program, which are to: n A ddress the decline in child oral
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health, with a long term strategy to deliver population-wide oral health into the future; Target Commonwealth expenditure to those children in greater financial need; Build a unified national system for patient eligibility and service delivery for children across the states and territories.
The DHAA Inc. suggests the outcomes of the GUS program should include: n Reduced child hospitalisations for preventable dental procedures such as extraction due to advanced dental caries; n Reduced incidence of dental caries in all children; n Equality of access to services for children in rural and Indigenous communities; n Improved family oral health literacy;
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Positive attitudes towards dental attendance; Positive behavioural changes in oral hygiene habits of all children and families; Positive outcomes in diet control, reduction of caries and reduction of juvenile diabetes; Reduced incidence of juvenile periodontitis.
The DHAA recognises the GUS aims to target children of lower income families who are at the greatest risk of dental caries. However, these children and families also require investment in individual oral health education to facilitate the behavioural change needed to address poor oral health. This should be addressed as a matter of urgency. DHAA Inc. believes any child dental scheme with a claim to deliver preventive care must include the following items:
131 Dietary Advice A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health revealed that of 16,800 Australian children studied: over 56% consumed sugary drinks daily; 13% consumed more than three daily; and children from lower income families consumed almost 60% more sugary drinks than other children (Armfield et al. 2013). If children from lower income groups are the initial target population in GUS policy, and if the intended outcome is to reduce childhood caries, then it is essential this group of children receives dietary advice from oral health professionals. The omission of item 131 is startling. It represents a missed opportunity not only to improve the oral health of each child but also to tackle juvenile diabetes and obesity, both of which cause significant health and financial costs to the individual and the public purse. 141 Oral Hygiene Instruction Oral hygiene instruction is fundamental in oral health care. A policy which is not inclusive of the fundamentals cannot be described as preventive in design. Services provide under item number 141 include individual tooth brushing instruction for plaque control, appropriate information on the use of Fluorides and flossing instruction to care for the gums. 161 Fissure Sealants Fissure sealants are included in the
schedule and may be described as preventive. However, they represent an event that takes place in the surgery rather than a behaviour change which alters long term risk. The application of a fissure sealant does not empower children to care for their teeth. At present, fissure sealants are the only preventative service item on the schedule. This illustrates the point that the scheme is not truly preventive in its design. Fissure sealants should be an adjunct to good oral health education instruction and dietary advice, both of which are missing from GUS.
Concluding comments The Grow Up Smiling program needs to stand on a firm evidence base. Stakeholders should be informed of the theoretical framework behind the program and the evidence base for the services included in or excluded from it. Similarly, we need to know more about its evaluation. DHAA Inc. contends that Grow Up Smiling should be designed in a way that contributes to a broader paradigm shift towards preventive dental care. At present, this policy, for all its good intent, does not adequately include or prioritise preventive oral health practices, nor does it effectively utilise the skills of dental therapists, oral health therapists or dental hygienists. We hope this can be remedied before the launch of the program. Please feel free to contact your local Member of Parliament to discuss this. n
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ental professionals as a team need to work on mutual understanding, trust, respect and co-operation. The contribution and knowledge of each team member must be valued and respected in its own right. Professional practice is dynamic and influenced by the changing environment. Our scope of practice should be flexible enough to enable us to deliver primary preventive dental outreach services in a range of community settings. DHAA Inc. maintains that our scope of practice should empower us to address the unmet need for preventive dental care for the benefit of all, particularly those who find it difficult to access mainstream services, such as those in rural or remote areas, or those in institutional settings such as hospitals, residential aged care facilities or care homes. The revised scope of practice should help dental professionals to care for patients to a high standard
that suits our times and climate. Modern consumers expect to be able to access the services they want. They do this for many other aspects of their head-to-toe healthcare, from psychology and optometry services to visiting a podiatrist. They should be able to make an appointment directly with a dental hygienist, who will provide excellent care within their scope of practice and refer to colleagues for any further care that is needed. The onus to provide safe and appropriate treatment to each and every client already exists for registered dental hygienists under registration regulations and responsibilities. Though we are not deemed to be independent practitioners, we still fulfil the personal and professional responsibilities required of an independent practitioner.
What is wrong with the existing model of care? The existing model of care is based on a treatment paradigm. A patient experiences some dental discomfort,
makes an appointment to see a dentist and pays for any necessary treatment. There are significant flaws in this model. Firstly, it is based on waiting until a problem has arisen. DHAA Inc. believes we need a paradigm shift to a preventive model of care, with dental hygienists providing outreach services in community settings in order to promote oral health and prevent costly and painful dental disease. We need to combat the existing ‘drill and fill’ mentality by utilising dental hygienists and oral health therapists in the primary prevention and treatment phase. This empowers the patient through education, oral health instruction and practice, diet and exercise recommendations and preventive care for dental diseases. Ultimately, people become advocates for their own oral and general health. Secondly, the existing model makes the dentist the gatekeeper of access to other dental professionals, resulting in bottlenecks, long waiting lists and high levels of unmet need. This is especially obvious in the public sector
15 where patients are estimated to wait between two to five years for treatment.1 This means that people in lower socioeconomic groups are effectively rendered helpless in accessing the dental care that they need, since they cannot afford to see a private dentist and are dictated to by the public sector waiting list. As waiting lists get longer, simple needs are left to fester until they become full blown emergencies. This maladministration results in higher costs to the public purse and direct loss of income for the patient, not to mention significant and prolonged dental pain and discomfort and worsening health outcomes. It is worth reiterating that most users of public services are from
low socio-economic groups who could not afford dental treatment or loss of wages to begin with. Thirdly, the existing model fails to utilise the full range of a dental hygienist’s skills. The treatment model is largely based on directing patients to a dentist in private practice and misses the opportunity to position dental hygienists in community settings, where patients most need to find them. Many dental hygienists cannot find work under the existing model, yet, as discussed above, we know high numbers of people are experiencing progressively worse oral health because they cannot access preventive dental care. This situation is extremely frustrating to DHAA Inc.
Our members want to be used to their full potential, to be present in the dental care of the population at every stage of the lifespan, including critical care. We are the best trained professionals in achieving oral health and should be prominently employed in this capacity. Finally, the treatment model fails to address the substantial inequalities affecting oral health. As noted in the National Oral Health Plan, ‘poor oral health in this country is most evident among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people on low incomes, rural and remote populations, and some immigrant groups from non-English speaking background, particularly refugees’.2 The most significant risk of
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poor oral health is likely to be for lower income households with poor visiting patterns.3 Around 56 percent of high income households have a favourable visiting pattern, compared to just 22.1 percent of lower income households.4 Poor visiting patterns mean that dental problems go unattended until they become emergencies that cannot be ignored. Affordability is a significant barrier: data suggests 34.3 per cent of adults have avoided or delayed accessing dental care due to cost.5 The treatment model is clearly failing to improve the oral health of Australians. It is time to reorient dental services to a preventive model of care.
A preventive model of care Dental hygienist services have predominantly been restricted to treatment service models within restorative and specialist dental practices. Whilst preventive services are considered an important adjunct to patient oral care, in practice the treatment model regards these services as low-end products that are too easily constrained by high-end targets within the strategic business plans adopted
1 Report of the National Advisory Council on Dental Health, 23 February 2012, p21. 2 Government of South Australia, 2004, on behalf of the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference, Healthy mouths healthy lives:
by individual dentists and practice managers. This is why a paradigm shift is needed. Re-framing services to emphasise preventive care would be of tremendous benefit in improving oral health in Australia. Health Workforce Australia (HWA) recognises this in their recommendation to reorient the health system so that the primary focus on outcomes for communities, consumers and population need drives innovative changes to service and workforce models.6 This would also help Australia to keep in step with international best practice, which is undergoing a paradigm shift to a preventive model.7 DHAA Inc. recommends a Hygienist Primary Prevention Oral Care Model based on direct patient access to a dental hygienist operating under his or her own provider number. In 2007, Canada introduced Bill 171, allowing direct access to preventive care from dental hygienist. This model has just been adopted in the UK, where the General Dental Council has recently voted to enable dental hygienists and dental therapists to carry out their full scope of practice without prescription
Australia’s national oral health plan 2004-2013, pV. 3 Ibid p10. 4 Ellershaw, A. C. and Spencer, A. J. (2011), Dental attendance patterns and oral health status, AIHW Dental Statistics and
and without the patient having to see a dentist first. In Australia, the National Oral Health Plan recognises the need to: Ensure State/Territory Dental Acts, Regulations and Codes of Practice do not impose barriers to the use of the skills of the full dental team (general and specialist dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists, oral health therapists, prosthetists, dental assistants) in the provision of high quality, accessible and affordable dental care for the whole community.9 More recently, the National Advisory Council on Dental Health (February 2012), ‘strongly recommends the removal of legislative restrictions on the provision of dental services by dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists for government programs’ and even more recently by a Ministerial inquiry in to adult dental services (May 2013) who recommended Provider numbers for oral health practitioners, Dental hygienists, oral health therapists and dental therapists Dental hygienists and oral health therapists should be the primary caretakers of preventive oral health. Our services could be offered in numerous
Research Series, No. 57, p2. 5 Harford, J. E., Ellershaw, A. C., and Spencer, A. J. (2011), Trends in access to dental care among Australian adults 19942008, AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Series, No. 55,
p45 and p48. 6 Health Workforce Australia 2011: National Health Workforce Innovation and Reform Strategic Framework for Action 20011-2015, p2. 7 World Dental Federation now
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settings including aged care facilities, hospitals, schools, prisons, homeless shelters, migrant hostels and in mobile clinics servicing rural and remote areas. This model has the potential to have a multi-faceted impact on reducing oral disease rates in general community settings, thereby addressing the high demand for services from at risk underserved consumer groups. Dental hygienists and oral health therapists are autonomous decisionmaking oral health professionals who care for individuals of all ages in all communities, seeking to meet the complex oral health needs of clients. This role includes assessment (taking of radiographs, periodontal charting, and dental examination), formulation of a treatment plan, management of clients, evaluation of responses to treatment and adjusting the treatment plan as necessary. Wider roles include advocacy, oral health promotion, research, teaching and diet counselling. Dental hygienists have the capacity and qualifications to fulfil these roles. The scope of practice should encourage the placement of dental hygiene services in many outreach
advocates prevention focused service delivery; in 2006, the province of Ontario, Canada, passed legislation to improve access to preventive care (Bill 171), which resulted in professional colleges shifting
settings rather than just in a dental practice. It should facilitate direct access to a dental hygienist, without need for a referral. The majority of dental hygienists will, of course, work for a dental practice, but the improvements in oral health will be much greater if dental hygienists are clearly released to work in a range of community settings without a dentist being present, as is understood under the current standard. This clarity is important to enable aged care homes, for example, to feel secure in employing a dental hygienist rather than a dentist for preventive work within their facility. The Comprehensive Primary Health Care Model Changes to the scope of practice should reflect the alignment of dental hygiene and oral health therapy services with the Comprehensive Primary Health Care Model, which emphasises working within multi-disciplinary teams and multi-sectoral collaborations Endorsing dental hygiene services in this way will remove one of the most significant barriers to direct public access to preventive oral health services, which would in turn help to reverse the decline
focus to preventive models. 8 General Dental Council, Patient Safety at Heart of Decision over Direct Access, press release of 28/03/13, available at www.gdc-uk. org/Newsandpublications/
in public oral health. These are key reforms identified by Health Workforce Australia, which recognises that the public needs access to preventive dental services in community settings. Tailoring the scope of practice standard to facilitate delivery of primary health care is the first step in the paradigm shift necessary for economically responsible dental service delivery and workforce training and utilisation. The Comprehensive Primary Health Care Model is highly adaptable to community settings and congruent with the scope of practice requirement for supportive structured professional relationships to expedite the cross referral process. The standard and guidelines need to vigorously emphasise a preventive model with direct access to primary preventive dental providers such as dental hygienists and oral health therapists working in unsupervised community settings. Denying this, or giving only lukewarm support as an add-on to restorative services, is to deny long-suffering population groups the right to oral health. n
Pressreleases/Pages/Patientsafety-at-the-heart-of-decisionover-Direct-Access. Accessed on 24/04/13. 9 Government of South Australia, 2004, on behalf of the Australian Health Ministers’
Conference, Healthy mouths healthy lives: Australia’s national oral health plan 2004-2013, p15. 10 Report of the National Advisory Council on Dental Health, 23 February 2012, p80.
A full state-by-state run-down of Association happenings around the country
NATION STATE ACT
WEBSITE
actdhaa.com.au
>
CONTACT
Email ACT
>
The ACT Branch has had a few changes this year. Our beloved President Jo Hahn stepped down to work on her increasingly demanding role of mother and we lost our vice president Kate Farmer to her demands in training the territories dental assisting community. I’d like to thank these tireless members of our branch and to wish them well in their new and worthy ventures. And welcome to Natalie Lopes our new Vice President and chair of the PD committee. We’ve had our first dinner meeting where Hellen Checker put a fire in our bellies as well as giving us plenty of practical advice on volunteering and are about to hear from one of our Local Periodontists Richard Evans about the use of Azithromycin. The PD committee is also furiously putting together our Full Day PD for October. Canberra is lovely on the spring and well worth a visit. We would love to see you here. Kathryn Novak DHAAACT President
New South Wales WEBSITE
dhaansw.org.au CONTACT
0411 473 762
>
March was a busy month for the CPD team. Early in the month we held our first GM dinner with guest speakers including Dr Brett Dorney who presented an absorbing lecture on Dental Trauma and Emergencies and showed us how important it is to have a properly fabricated mouthguard. At the end of March was our day seminar featuring a well renowned international speaker, Prof Marc Quirynen from Belgium. He was very informative, presented relevant material and had a great sense of humour. I must say he was one of the best speakers to ever present for the DHAA NSW. The positive feedback from those who attended was numerous.
“ Early in the month we held our first GM dinner with guest speakers including Dr Brett Dorney who presented an absorbing lecture on Dental Trauma and Emergencies.” Many of our members made the effort to come up to me and thank me for organising such an event. A big congratulations to the CPD team for all their efforts! I would like to thank Oral
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Queensland ABOVE Braun’s Leanne Batley presents Lynn Hiscocks with her door prize; LEFT NSW’s President Nikolaos with Prof Marc Quirynen.
B and particularly Leanne Batley for sponsoring and attending this event. It was held on the Saturday of the Easter long weekend, the only time we could secure Prof Quirynen’s attendance. It was not the best timing and because of this, other sponsors could not attend. Even so, the event was successful with 85 dedicated members attending. At our second GM Dinner, we had Specialist Paediatric Dentist Dr Kareen Mekertichian come and speak to us on the Red Flags in Children. This was in regards to periodontal disease in children, a topic that is quite pertinent to our profession. Dr Kareen showed that periodontal and soft tissue diseases manifest sometimes due to underlying health and systemic issues. Again we were very fortunate to have such a good presenter
come to speak to our NSW members. Other state members will have the opportunity to see and hear him at the Perth Symposium. Other events planned for NSW are the third GM in September and our Annual Day Seminar on 2 November include the Golden Age: Living longer, Living better? The theme is on Aged Care. We have a great line up of five speakers - Associate Professor Peter J. Dennison, Professor Clive Frederick Wright, Dr Peter Foltyn, Dr Alan Deutsch and Ms Janet Wallace. DHAA NSW apologises that it is so close to the National Symposium but here is a great opportunity for all members this month to go to two events and accumulate a significant amount of CPD points. Nikolaos Karadoukas DHAANSW President
WEBSITE
dentalhygienist.com.au
>
CONTACT
Email Queensland
>
Queensland has had an exciting start to the year with the 2013 committee offically taking office at our Strategic planning day on 2 February. While it is wonderful to see so many familiar faces in the committee, it’s also exciting to have a few new members. Shiralee Davis has taken on employment officer, Fatima Dost is our new assistant treaurer and Karen Toms has taken on Regional and Rural support. We have sadly said bon voyage to our website officer, Donna Sheldon, as she heads off on an extended overseas adventure. Holly Lockhart has taken on this role with great ensthusiam. March was a busy month
“ While it is wonderful to see so many familiar faces in the committee, it’s also exciting to have a few new members.” with our secretary, Carlene Franklin, Vice president, Jo Purssey and Treasurer and National Councillor, Robbern White representing the Queensland branch at the Dental Health Reform Summit in Sydney on 25-26 March. Our first CPD event for the year was also in
March. This event, hosted by Dentsply, explored the use of Diode lasers as an adjunct to debridement for the treatment of periodontal disease. It was wonderful to hear about our fellow hygienist, Kristy Reid’s experiences using lasers in her treatment room. Professor Ian Meyers also provided a very thorough and thoughtprovoking presentation about Dental Hypersensitivity,
identifying true causal factors in diagnosis and discussing the efficacy of commercial products and restorative treatments. Karen Toms and I seized the opportunity to meet our future Hygienists and OHT’s whilst attending Orientation Day at the University of Queensland (Brisbane) and the Central Queensland University (Rockhampton). DHAAQ was also represented at
Griffith University Academic Awards Presentation ceremony by committee member, Laura Malishev. Congratulations Matthew Robertson on receiving the Dental Hygienists Association of Australia Inc Queensland Branch Prize. We enjoyed the sunny beaches of Mooloolaba for 2013 Hygiene Horizons on the 18 May. This year’s theme was Snapshots of
Breathing Disorders and Their Treatments. There were over 100 delegates, including interstate association members that attended the presentations from Dr Ann-Maree Cole (Aesthetic Excellence), Dr Rita Goulart (Lake View Dental), Dr David McIntosh (paediatric ENT), Brett Chamberlain (CEO – Sleep Clinic Services) and Lynette Lamb (Dietician/ Nutritionist). It was fantastic
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to hear from such an array of disciplines discussing the diagnosis and treatment options for this extremely common health condition. A big thank-you to Colgate as the major sponsor to this event. DHAAQ joined Oral B, ADAQ, Queensland Health and The University of Queensland, to attend Homeless Connect at the RNA showgrounds for the second year in a row. As a co-ordinated team, we provided a range of assistance to visitors, including dental products, oral health screening, emergency treatment and dental education. Our focus now is finalising the plans for 2013 Regional Road show, on 18-20 July. Associate Professor Matthew Hopcraft presenting in Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns. This year’s topic is ‘Oral Health and Systemic Health: Implications for Clinical Practice’. Approval of our government grant application for this event ensures DHAAQ support of continuing education to our regional members. Debbie Holliday DHAAQ President
South Australia WEBSITE
dhaasa.asn.au
>
CONTACT
Email South Australia
>
South Australia has started the year positively with the release of the aged care education package ‘Oral Health for Those Who Care’. Margie Steffens, along with support from National DHAA and the University of Adelaide, has spent years putting this extensive set of resources together to assist us in training others on oral health in acute care and aged care settings. I have purchased mine and would highly recommend it. A huge congratulations to the team on this product. I had the pleasure of awarding the inaugural DHAA SA Jean McNicol Award to a new TAFE ADOH (DH) graduate at the ceremony in May 2013 to Jolene Knight and the Jane Chalmers Memorial Award to Sowmya Ramakrishna. Well done girls! The Dental Health Reform in March was held in Sydney and the DHAA was strongly represented by all states.
From South Australia was myself, Alison Taylor and Margie. Membership is strong at the moment in South Australia with the highest numbers recorded so far in most categories. A presentation and casual talk to students at TAFE SA created a spike in student memberships which are highly valued. I would recommend membership drives in all states as a good result has come from it. South Australia is holding their September CPD day together with the bi-annual National Council Meeting. This is exciting news as we have the opportunity to extend the invitation out to other State Presidents, National Councillors and of course our National Executive team. A line up of very positive speakers who have a lot to educate us on has been arranged, watch this space! Jacquie Biggar SA President
“ Membership is strong at the moment in South Australia – A presentation and casual talk to students at TAFE SA created a spike in student memberships which are highly valued.”
Tasmania
CONTACT
0419 712 512
It giveS me great pleasure to report that the DHAA Tas Branch Inc Professional Development Weekend at Wrest Point Casino, Hobart on 18-19 May was a great success! We had a wonderful turnout with attendees almost doubling the number of state members. These numbers were greatly assisted by the numerous interstate guests we had from WA, NSW, Vic and ACT, all of whom we sincerely thank for taking the time to come down, it really made a big difference having all of you in attendance. On behalf of the Association I would also like to make a special thank you to the national committee consisting of
Have you ever wondered why dental practitioners move to or away from rural areas in Australia? What influences their decision about whether to practice in a rural area? A team of researchers from the Centre of Research Excellence in Primary Oral Health Care based at the University of Tasmania, Department
Hellen Checker, Cheryl Dey and Patricia Chan for coming and holding the national AGM at our conference. This is an opportunity for our members to see all the hard work that gets put into the Association first hand and get the opportunity to be actively involved which can be very difficult for a small association like ours when it is not on our door step. As President of the Tasmanian Branch I couldn’t be prouder and more thankful to our members and committee on what we have achieved so far this year and am looking forward to working hard on continuing our professional development program for the future.
Victoria
WEBSITE
dhaavb.com.au
>
CONTACT
0418 336 119
Danielle Gibbens President Tas Branch Inc.
of Rural Health is conducting a study on the attitudes of Australian dental practitioners towards living and working in rural areas. Findings from the study will provide recommendations for policy makers and stakeholders on dental workforce recruitment and retention strategies You are warmly invited to participate
in a 20-30 minute phone interview. Any information you provide will not be used to identify you as a participant. If you are interested in helping this important research or would like to find out more then get in contact with Diana Godwin via email at diana. godwin@utas.edu.au or by phone on (03) 6226 7798.
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Since last report DHAAVB have had a couple of excellent CPD events. In December we held our half day AGM CPD event - there was a last minute rush to register and we had over 40 people attend. This was located at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, which proved an exceptional venue. Our first speaker was Dr Alan Pollard, an orthodontist who spoke about Auxilliaries in Orthodontics over his last 20 years of practice. This was very interesting. The next speaker was the very knowledgeable Professor Ian Meyers, who spoke on the management of Clinical Hypersensitivity. Even though there were over 40 attendees, no one volunteered to fill the Secretary position at the AGM. This position still remains vacant. We would welcome any member wanting to give back to the profession and come on board for the ride! In March there was a half day CPD event held at Quest Flemington. Three speakers were scheduled, and there was some nervousness as to whether the speakers would make it on time because
an event up the road at the showgrounds was causing traffic jams. This made an interesting start to the day. Luckily everyone was able to get there. First speaking was Dental Hygienist Roisin McGrath, who informed us about The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Victoria. RFDS has fitted a mobile car for dental screenings in Robinvale in Victoria chosen for its high population of Aboriginals and limited availability to dental services. There is a dental
and running, but they now have a number of dentists working a week at the dental clinic each month. Roisin has been on a number of these monthly treks to Robinvale, and now that the service is becoming known it is getting very popular. RFDS will be looking at expanding into other areas in Victoria in the near future. Our second speaker was Colleen McCarthy from Latrobe University who informed us of the different parts of Health promotion
Health Community Centre helping to put together programs for community health – not necessarily dental. Also in 3rd year they do a two week placement during December, January or February. Most in 2012/13 were overseas, where they were able to go to places like Sweden, New York , Finland and Nepal. We had a large group of about nine students travel to Nepal and smaller groups of two to four went to the other locations. Our Third speaker was
“ It has taken a while to get this service up and running, but they now have a number of dentists working a week at the dental clinic each month. Now that the service is becoming known it is getting very popular. RFDS will be looking at expanding into other areas in Victoria in the near future.” clinic in this small rural town that is linked to a community dental clinic in Melbourne. It’s manned for a few days every month. Otherwise it’s about an hour’s drive to the nearest dentist. RFDS have approached Latrobe University and dental students on placement in Mildura to help with some Community Oral Health Promotion. It has taken a while to get this service up
programs the BOH students were involved in as part of the course. During 1st year they do a program with the Smith Family, with playgroups and the parents. This involves discussing positive oral health messages for this age group. During third year they work in aged care facilities, educating the patients and staff on caring for the oral health of the residents. They also work with Bendigo
Cathryn Carboon who was sponsored by Colgate, who spoke to us about her involvement with Sun Smiles program in Albury and Wangaratta. BOH Students from Charles Sturt University (Wagga Wagga) apply the fluoride varnish to the children’s teeth. Cathryn gave a very enthusiastic presentation. These all tied in really well together on Oral Health
promotion and how important it is to be involved in your community. DHAAVB sent out information packs to our members for National Youth Week in April, providing educational resource materials surrounding many issues which face our adolescent and young adult patients. Also included was the website for information on activities during National Youth Week. Resources included fact sheets from Youth Beyond Blue, on topics such as eating disorders, depression in young people, getting help with depression/anxiety and staying healthy. They also had brochures on erosion and sports drinks by Sukkie, support for eating disorders, Colgate brochures on dental erosion, oral health for teens, young adults and tooth decay and booklets about drugs from the Foundation for a Drug Free World. DHAAVB would like to thank the committee members for their hard work in putting events and packs together for the benefit of our members. Narelle Hartwich DHAAVB Treasurer
Western Australia WEBSITE
dhaawa.com CONTACT
0449 910 455
>
On behalf of the Organising Committee and the host branch of the 11th DHAA Inc. National Symposium “Back to Future”, I would like to extend our big arms and heart to welcome you to the state of “Well Advanced” for a great experience and adventure with your families and friends as well as networking with all colleagues in November 2013. Under the leadership of Hellen Checker’s and administration skills of Patricia Chan we are anticipating a tremendous national event in Perth. An advanced acknowledgement must go to these dedicated volunteers from WA Branch and national body as they are working really hard to get this up and going. They are Kyla Burman, Josh Galpin, Cheryl Day/Linda Wallace, and of course Patricia and Hellen from national body; Simone Mayne and Natasha Hunt from WA; and Sue McLennan, the Stars Event Management. The WA Branch have been very busy organising local events including “Is Articaine the idea Local Anaesthetic for Dentistry” Webinar, a playing video for lecture in
Sydney by Professor Stanley Malamed with a big crowd in March; and locking in our first Annual General Meeting for Saturday 6 July with hot buffet breakfast, 2CPD points and impant scalers trade display sponsored by Henry Schein Halas. Dr Jane McCarthy and Hellen Checker will be our guests speakers for the day. Lenny Skinner, Bonnie Boudreau and Wendy Wright led a team of ten volunteers for manning DHAA booth at Smile Expo 2013 in Ascot Race Course on 11th and 12th May. This event gave the hygienists involved an opportunity to mingle with and educate the public and socialise at the same time both with fellow members as well as other professionals. A big thank you goes to Jo Orbinski, Sabrina Naim, Robbie Pittorino, Liana Jeff, Karen Lam, Jimmy Pham, Mishal Punj, Catherine Eastman, Sanja Brankov and Melinda Christiansen. Other heavily involved tasks which WA experienced for the past months were in meetings for Oral Health Forum - Roadmap to improved oral health in WA, Health Worker Australia
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Workshop in WA and the Oral Health Reform Summit in Sydney. I must extend my thanks to Rhonda Kremmer, Wendy Wright and Lenny Skinner for helping out. WA Branch have been presenting prize money for the Curtin student demonstrating the most improved performance throughout the Oral Health Therapy course. This year the recipient was Ms Kristy Antonio. According to Carol Nevin, the Associate Lecturer Department of Dental Hygiene and Therapy for Curtin University, “Kristy is one of the first graduates of Curtin’s Oral Health Therapists in February 2013. All nine graduates had backgrounds in either School
Dental Therapy or Dental Hygiene. Students studied core units in Indigenous health and culture, Evidence informed practice and Preventive Dentistry incorporating Oral health promotion from an individual to a public health focus. The Oral Health therapy units covered both theoretical and practical components incorporated skills and knowledge to encompass both disciplines of dental hygiene and therapy. The culmination of the theoretical modules was a research project and presentation. A major focus of the new Bachelor of Science in Oral Health Therapy degree is the prevention of oral health and disease and the practice
of minimal intervention practices.” I was also invited to the Prize and Awards Giving evening for dentistry students at University of Western Australia in March. In view of promoting and introducing dental hygiene practice to a group of nonEnglish speaking community I have accepted an invitation for a pre-recording radio interview to discuss about oral health issue in both Mandarin and Cantonese dialects. Elvie Yap, the Coordinator of Chung Wah Community and Aged Care have prepared me with a list of questions for me to handle at the recording studio. Please find out more about this radio program by clicking
on http://www.6eba.com. au/1/chungwah.php. It seems there isn’t any quiet moment for WA when there is so much development and progress happening up to today. I enjoy the challenge and benefit from learning something new in each day and every day. It has been such a challenge but yet a satisfactory result for having such a wonderful team of members at WA Branch. We are still learning how to do things better and provide a better system for the incoming committee for next year. To all the Executive, well done and thank you. Emily See DHAAWA President
26 AUGUST DATE
TIME
Friday 2
EVENT
SPEAKERS
VENUE
The Mini Dental Practice Update
Dr Alan Broughton (Removable (Prosthodontics), Dr Erika Vinczer (Cracked Tooth), Margie Steffens (Community Engagement), Anne Levitch (Design of Dental Facilities), Dr Helen McLean (Orthodontics, Surgery and Patient Expectations), Don Chorley (Radiation in Dentistry), Dr David Drew (Periodontal Wound Healing)
Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace
Saturday 3
9am-4pm
Contemporary Infection Control
Prof. Laurence Walsh, Assoc. Prof.Neil Savage
UQ School of Dentistry, 200 Turbot Street, Brisbane
Monday 5
8.30am-5pm
Sleep Apnoea and Snoring – What You Need to Know
Prof. Peter Cistulli, Prof. Ali Darendeliler, Prof. Greg Lvoff
Citigate Central, 169-179 Thomas St, Haymarket
Friday 9
9am-12.30pm
Where Have We Come From?
Louise Murray, Prof. Henry Atkinson
Melbourne Dental School, 720 Swanston St, Carlton
Friday 9 Saturday 10
VDOHTA – Integrated Oral Health, Beyond the Mouth
Go to: www.cvent.com/events/ integrated-oral-health-beyondthe-mouth
Melbourne Convention Centre
Monday 12
Paediatric Behaviour Management
Dr Sally Hibbert, Dr Dorothy Boyd
Sebel Playford Hotel, North Terrace
In-Office Whitening for Dental Practitioners
Prof. Laurence Walsh, Dr David Cox
UQ School of Dentistry, 200 Turbot St, Brisbane
Saturday 24
8.30am4.30pm
SEPTEMBER DATE
TIME
EVENT
SPEAKERS
VENUE
Thursday 5
1-5pm
Periodontal Instrumentation: It’s How You Use it that Counts (4hrs scientific)
Dr Don Watkins, Dr William Zhang
Melbourne Oral Health Training Education Centre (MOHTEC), 723 Swanston St, Carlton
Saturday 7
Panoramic Radiography
Mellisa Bogan, Angela Menadue, Dr Luke Tsakalos, Assoc. Prof Janet Fuss
University of Adelaide, Dental Simulation Clinic
Friday 13
Medical emergencies in Dental Practice
Dr John Fahey, Dr Shane Hawkinson
Eclipse Room, Union House, North Terrace Campus
Tuesday 17
Special Needs Patients
Dr Mark Gryst
The University of Adelaide, North Terrace Campus
Diagnosing and Intercepting Developing Orthodontic Problems
Dr Desmond Ong
UQ School of Dentistry, 200 Turbot St Brisbane
Friday 27
9am-5pm
27 OCTOBER DATE
TIME
EVENT
SPEAKERS
VENUE
Wednesday 16 9am-5pm
Special Needs Dentistry and Your Practice
Assoc. Prof. Mina Borrremeo, Dr Helen Marchant
MOHTEC 2nd Floor, 723 Swanston St, Carlton
Thursday 17
Capturing the Perfect Smile
Rita Bauer
Sebel Playford Hotel, North Terrace
Friday 18
DHAA (ACT Branch) Professional Development Day
TBA
TBA
Wednesday 23
Consent, Confidentiality and the Vulnerable Patient
Dr Bernadette Richards
University of Adelaide, North terrace
Friday 25
Tobacco Use: Prevention and Cessation
Sophie Karanicolas, Cathy Snelling
Sebel Playford Hotel, North Terrace
Saturday 26
DHAA (QLD Branch) AGM Breakfast
TBA
TBA
Thursday 31
Pain Management – Before, During and After
Professor Ken Hargreaves
Sebel Playford Hotel, North Terrace
NOVEMBER DATE
TIME
EVENT
SPEAKERS
VENUE
Saturday 2
8.30am4.30pm
Laser Training for Dental Practitioners
Laser Training for dental Practitioners
UQ School of Dentistry, 200 Turbot St Brisbane
Saturday 9
8.30am-5pm
Working Posture Workshop
Working Posture Workshop
Sebel Surry Hills, 28 Albion St, Surry Hills
Wednesday 13 9am-5pm - Friday 15
Periodontal Instrumentation: It’s How You Use it that Counts (30hrs scientific)
Periodontal Instrumentation: It’s How You Use it that Counts (30hrs scientific)
Melbourne Dental School, 720 Swanston St, Carlton
Thursday 14 Saturday 16
11th Annual DHAA Inc. National Symposium
11th Annual DHAA Inc. National Symposium
Perth, WA
Advanced Periodontal Instrumentation
Advanced Periodontal Instrumentation
Sydney Dental Hospital, 2 Chalmers St, Surry Hills
Tueday 26
Non-Nutritive Sucking and Parafunctional Oral Habits in Children
Non-Nutritive Sucking and Parafunctional Oral Habits in Children
University of Adelaide, North terrace
Friday 29
DHAA (ACT Branch) Christmas Party
TBA
TBA
Saturday 16
8.30am-5pm
Key to the state colours n ACT
n New South Wales
n Queensland
n South Australia
n Tasmania
n Victoria
n Western Australia
Please email us if you have an event that you want to be included in the calendar
DHAA Inc.