Dental care is out of reach for many in Australia, but a NSW charity is providing transformational care thanks to a team of volunteers.
There are many barriers to dental care: the fear, for example, or the lengthy wait time.
Wait lists for public dental care can stretch for months; more than two years in Victoria, and more than a year in New South Wales.
A recent survey by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) revealed two-thirds of Australian adults hadn’t seen their dentist in the previous two years, and a quarter had not been in more than five years.
And then of course, there’s the expense of going to the dentist, which for many people — especially vulnerable patients — can be prohibitive.
A New South Wales-based charity is stepping up to combat this, using volunteers
Filling the Gap, a charity arm of ADA NSW, sees dentists link with charities to provide free dental treatment for asylum seekers, victims of domestic violence, people impacted by drugs and alcohol and other vulnerable patients.
Since being established in 2019, Filling the Gap has provided about $1.5 million worth of pro bono treatment.
Dr Sarah Raphael, Senior Dentist and Engagement and Advocacy Executive at ADA NSW, told Pro Bono News members of the state ADA branch had a long history of volunteering their time and services, and Filling the Gap was a way of formalising that commitment.
It’s grown “significantly” since its launch, she said, with clinics running at least once a month as well as other activities that take place in private practices or with individuals who visit ADA to use its facilities to provide treatment.
The dentists and other dental practitioners involved, such as oral therapists, are all volunteers.
“We are still tiny if you consider the need out there for our health services and the significant barriers that many people face to be able to access dental care themselves,” Raphael said.
“But… we have a great team of volunteers… we have good support from the dental industry, providing materials and supplies that we need, and some lovely donors that help us as well.”
The NSW Department of Health also backs the charity with funding to allow it to employ two coordinators, and patients are referred to Filling the Gap through its partner charities.
Dental conditions cause around 70,000 potentially preventable hospitalisations every year in Australia.
By providing timely and expert treatment, Filling the Gap can help avoid these situations.
Raphael said the changes that dental care makes in people are “phenomenal”.
“[Patients] come in sometimes very self-conscious and very reserved. And by the time they’ve had their dentition restored, they leave with huge smiles on their faces. They tell us that it’s changed their life.
“[Dental care] allows them to feel like they can take part in the community by smiling and speaking. It allows them to eat a better diet. [It allows] them to turn up to, for example, a job interview and feel like they’ve got a chance at the job,” she said.
Australia’s barriers to dental care
Raphael said many of those who seek treatment through Filling the Gap face significant barriers to accessing medical care.
Asylum seekers, for example, may not have a Medicare card, preventing them from accessing public treatment.
They may also have a fear of government and related institutions.
Other people have an intense fear of visiting the dentist.
But the biggest barrier according to Raphael is cost.
“There are many people who don’t have the health fund card… so accessing private dentistry is beyond their reach. And if you’re looking at school shoes for your child or putting a meal on the table, then dentistry will come further down the list and many people will put up with pain, choosing to do the other things they need to do with the funds that they have available,” she said.
“The public health system is there for people that have a Medicare card and a health care card. But it’s a system that is quite difficult to access, so for people with other social disadvantages, they might find it really hard to actually work out where to go, or how to get their name on the list. People who are homeless find it very difficult because you need to give an address.”
ADA is an advocate for making dentistry more accessible. Raphael said this could begin by ensuring that vulnerable people have access to Medicare-funded dental treatment.
“For example, we’ve advocated for a long time for a seniors dental benefits schedule, which would mirror the one for children whose parents are on Centrelink payments. We were advocating for that sort of model to be used for aged care,” she explained.
From there, Medicare-funded dental care could be phased in for other members of the wider population, like people on health care cards.
“We’re servicing a tiny drop in the ocean of the need that’s out there. There is so much need for oral health treatment out there that’s not being met. We do as much as we possibly can with the resources that we have,” Raphael said.
Read the full article by Pro Bono Australia here.
Filling the Gap, the charity of the Australian Dental Association, NSW, is urging the government to help raise awareness of and support oral health care for immigrants.
This is in response to Australia’s National Study of Oral Health that found 42 per cent of immigrants (up from 27-28 per cent in 2017-2018) avoid oral health check-ups due to financial difficulty and dental treatment costs.
The study also found that over a quarter of the overseas-born population rates their oral health as fair or poor. Compared to Australian-born adults, those born overseas who speak a language other than English at home have the lowest rates of accessing dental care.
“Good oral health is an integral part of good general health and wellbeing,” Filling the Gap general manager Dr Sarah Raphael said. “Oral health can affect a person’s diet and nutrition and has links to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There are also wide-ranging social impacts including the ability to gain employment. Having access to regular oral health care and managing common yet preventable issues like gum disease and dental decay, is vital.”
Filling the Gap aims to improve the health and quality of life of vulnerable people with poor oral health through the provision of pro bono dental treatment, education programs, and advocacy. The oral health care programs prioritise those in desperate need who are unable to access mainstream dental services, including asylum seekers and refugees, and vulnerable people with complex and chronic health conditions.
“We hope to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health with the immigrant population in Australia,” Dr Raphael said.
“The data clearly highlights the inequity experienced among immigrants in their ability to access oral health services. The ability to pay for dental care was the major factor in their access to care.
“Filling The Gap urges the Government to better support oral health care to ease that burden, especially as costs of living expenses from groceries to rent and fuel continue to rise.”
Filling the Gap and its substantial work linking volunteer dentists with charities was featured in this ABC News online story. The article highlighted Australian oral health inequalities and possible solutions.
More than 2,000 border residents presented for public emergency dental work this year as featured in this WIN News Albury story and the most vulnerable are still missing out.
Filling the Gap General Manager, Dr Sarah Raphael, appeared on this news segment to discuss this important issue.
It’s no secret that 2020 was boom times for PPE manufacturers, in many cases with demand out tripping supply. Now Medicom, one of Australia’s leading suppliers of PPE and single use consumables, is paying it forward by donating $10,000 in supplies to the charity Filling the Gap. Filling the Gap works to improve the health and quality of life of vulnerable people with poor oral health through the provision of pro bono dental aid programs.
“We were blown away by Medicom’s generosity,” said Dr Sarah Raphael, General Manager, Filling the Gap. “Not having to struggle to find a lot of the consumables we continually use thanks to this wonderful donation has made life so much easier. We just want to really pass on our huge thanks to Maisie, Melissa and everyone at Medicom for their generous support.” Dr Raphael said that Filling the Gap runs all of its clinics on donations and the good work they do will now be made easier thanks to the abundance of supplies provided by Medicom.
“Filling the Gap is helping people who have trouble accessing dental care by offering pro bono treatment that’s provided by our volunteers,” Dr Raphael said. “We’re treating asylum seekers and refugees, the homeless, people with mental health issues and those with various drug dependencies during their recovery phase. “We run clinics at the ADA NSW’s Centre for Professional Development’s facility a few times a month and then we also have lovely volunteers who basically ‘adopt’ patients for treatment in their own private practices. Despite the disruptions due to the pandemic, in the last year we were able to help more than 460 patients and provide pro bono treatments worth in excess of $400,000 to those most in need.”
Dr Raphael said that Filling the Gap was only possible thanks to the generosity of the growing pool of clinicians and dental assistants who volunteer their time and skill and the support of donations from the dental industry such as this generous gift from Medicom. “Medicom has been manufacturing high quality PPE and single use dental consumables for over 30 years,” said Melissa Eley, Medicom’s Regional Dental Category Manager – Asia Pacific. “Medicom is a trusted and professional brand and our range is used extensively in the Australian dental market. Our donation to Filling the Gap recognises their tremendous efforts helping people in our community.”
“We donated $10,000 worth of PPE and other consumables from our range to Filling the Gap and their choice includes masks, cotton rolls, surgical gowns, selfsealing sterilization pouches, bibs, saliva ejectors, suction tips, head rest covers, barrier film, dental paper cups, micro applicators and nitrite and latex gloves.”
Dr Michael Jonas, FTG Chair, equally applauded Medicom’s support of Filling the Gap. “Filling the Gap came about as a way of increasing the utilisation of our Centre for Professional Development,” Dr Jonas said. “We have a fully functioning 4-chair dental clinic that we use for professional education and then someone asked ‘What else can we use it for?’. It started with a Dental Rescue Day and it just went from there. Medicom has now come onboard to help at the most critical time. I can’t tell you how hard it is to get PPE at the moment! Then all of a sudden we have an abundant supply. It’s terrific. It’s good for the soul.”
Maisie Liu, General Manager of Medicom Australia, said that giving back and helping local communities was in keeping with their corporate values. “Filling the Gap is a great initiative and our donation reflects our corporate value around being accountable and a good corporate citizen. I need to hold our company accountable for doing the right thing and leading the industry to making sure that our community is being supported. I’m sure there’s more that we can do, but sometimes it’s about knowing where to start. And I think this is a great starting point.” Filling the Gap relies on monetary donations, donations of dental product and donations of time and skill from the dental profession. And more support is always needed.
Big-hearted volunteers have helped charity Filling the Gap provide hundreds of vulnerable patients with more than $300,000 worth of free dental treatment in 2020. The charity, an initiative of the Australian Dental Association New South Wales branch, provides pro bono dental treatment to patients in need.
Asylum seekers, homeless people, patients with drug and alcohol dependency issues and other disadvantaged Australians have been assisted by the charity, which has been shortlisted for the Associations Forum’s 2020 Achievement of the Year award in recognition of its efforts.
“Good oral health is key to overall wellbeing. That’s why helping everyone access dental treatment—no matter what their personal circumstances are—is so important,” Filling the Gap acting manager Dr Sarah Raphael said.
“In a year impacted by COVID-19, about 200 ADA NSW members and volunteers supported Filling the Gap’s dental programs. This underlines the generosity and spirit of dental practitioners and support staff and we thank them all hugely.”
Filling the Gap works with several charities who refer patients to regular clinic days at ADA NSW’s St Leonards base. The clinics are overseen by ADA NSW staff and feature volunteer dental professionals, including dentists, prosthetists, oral health therapists and dental assistants. Treatment provided on the day focuses on pain relief and essential care and may include fillings, extractions and periodontal care. Patients are provided with opportunities for follow-up appointments if needed or referred to community dentists.
“Oral health shouldn’t be a privilege—it’s a right,” Dr Sarah Raphael said. “Through Filling the Gap, dental practitioners help those in need receive the dental treatment they deserve.”
The charity has just launched a Christmas Smile donation scheme to fund services including treatments, interpreters and PPE for patients.
ADA NSW’s Filling the Gap program has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Associations Forum’s Achievement of the Year award.
Ten organisations – including national bodies – have been shortlisted for the award, which recognises outstanding achievements in a particular area or initiative.
Filling the Gap was highlighted for its work during the Financial Year 2019-20, which saw almost 200 ADA NSW members and volunteers provide pro bono treatment to almost 400 people worth close to $300,000.
The winning project will be announced at the Associations Forum’s forthcoming three-day national conference, which runs from 14-16 December.
Filling the Gap thanks all volunteers, partner charities and patients for their wonderful support and contribution to this honour.
Great to see ADA NSW’s charity FTG and volunteers being profiled in the latest print edition of Australasian Dentist magazine.
To read the full article online, please click here
Four dental teams have treated 28 patients and carried out more than $12,000 worth of free dental treatment in the latest Filling The Gap dental charity. Disadvantaged patients from eight partner charities were represented at the clinic including Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, William Booth House, Jesuit Refugee Service, The Salvation Army, Asylum Seekers Centre, William Booth House, Stride, NSW Refugee Service and The Station.
The clinic was one of many from Filling The Gap this year which is a registered charity formed by the Australian Dental Association to help vulnerable people access oral care. Five volunteer dentists attended the FTG Clinic including two returning volunteer dentists, Dr Andrew Parsons and Dr Hany Gerges. There were also three new volunteer Dentists including Dr George Guirguis, Dr Su Thapaliya and Dr Muhammed Khan.
Dr Andrew Parsons and Hany Gerges provided an excellent service to our patients and did a fantastic job making new volunteers feel welcome and supported. Dr George Guirguis, Dr Su Thapaliya and Dr Muhammed Khan had a wonderful first experience to the clinic. They expressed how much they enjoyed their first volunteering with FTG and expressed an interest in volunteering for upcoming clinics. All volunteer dentists did a fantastic job on the day. We thank them for their time and expertise.
Dr Muhammad Khan mentioned that he had wanted to do some volunteer work for some time to give back to the community. Dr Muhammad currently serves as a Dental Officer in the Australian Army. Alongside his full-time commitment to the Australian Defence Force he still managed to find the time to offer his expertise to help Australia’s most vulnerable patients and looks forward to another volunteering opportunity with Filling the Gap.
We were privileged to have three volunteer Dental Assistants present at the clinic. Michelle Zhong a returning volunteer Assistant, Yousef Faoor and Kelela Pasina two new Volunteer Dental Assistants. A total of two patients received dentures and 20 patients have been invited back for further treatment.
These clinics would not be possible without the generous support of our partners. Special thanks to Henry Schein Halas for donating $500 worth of products and consumables for patients at the clinic.
FIND OUT MORE:
Interested in volunteering in one of our clinics? To find out more, phone (02) 8436 9946.
> Upcoming volunteering opportunities, click here
> For more detail on volunteering for a charity day, click here
Are you a dentist, dental prosthetist, or dental technician training to be a prosthetist?
Would you like to volunteer your skills and abilities to a worthwhile project? The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Sydney is looking for volunteers to assist in improving the oral health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in rural and remote NSW. We currently provide a mobile denture service to various communities across NSW.
This service provides Aboriginal people with full and partial dentures to restore function and dignity. The service is delivered from a mobile dental laboratory fitted in to a Mercedes Sprinter van which travels from Sydney to each community. From beginning to end, the process to manufacture and issue the dentures is done within an intensive 4-day period.
As a volunteer you will:
Please email your interest;
Project Manager, Oral Health
P: (02) 9114 1119; M: 0432 689 549
E: r[email protected]
To find out more about the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, please click here.