THE ROYAL Flying Doctor Service South Eastern Section (RFDS SE) is not shutting down its successful fly-in, fly-out dental service for rural and remote communities in Western NSW despite "ambiguity around government funding".
Chief executive officer of the RFDS SE Greg Sam reports a private donation and revenue from fundraising will keep The Outback Oral Treatment and Health (TOOTH) program up and running in the "short term" while efforts are made to find sustainable funding.
TOOTH, made possible by a three-year public/private $2.5 million partnership between the Investec Foundation, the Gonski Foundation and the RFDS SE, operates out of its base at Dubbo.
The program has tackled untreated dental decay in adults and children at Bourke, Collarenebri, Goodooga and Lightning Ridge.
Oral health in the communities has previously been likened to that of "developing countries" with children averaging five decayed teeth each.
Since the launch of TOOTH two-and-three-quarter years ago, 638 clinics have been run and 4493 patients treated.
"In less than three years the TOOTH program has halved the decay in children attending our clinics in rural NSW and established a consistently declining pattern of decay in adults, meaning many are now living pain-free thanks to the program," said Dr Lyn Mayne, senior dentist with the RFDS SE.
The dentist said it was "essential to remember that our aim is to improve overall health of the patients in these communities through improving their oral health".
"We have had a number of patients picked up for oral cancer and other lesions, through normal soft tissue exams, and it is important to recognise that often dentists are the only ones to screen for oral cancer," she said.
TOOTH is also training "the next generation of rural dentists" with 113 students having joined dentists on the frontline.
This week Mr Sam confirmed the program was not yet a casualty of uncertain funding.
"Given the high need and the success of the program to date, the RFDS SE has committed to continue the TOOTH program, as it works to ensure long-term funding," he said.
"Continuing TOOTH is great news for the NSW communities where we have piloted and proved the viability of the fly in, fly out dental service delivery model.
"We are delighted with the results from TOOTH, but ambiguity around government funding, such as the National Partnerships Agreement which accounted for $211,000 of TOOTH's funding during the past year, means we are having to explore various sustainable funding options to ensure we can continue to deliver this vital service.
"While losing this government funding for TOOTH would be disappointing, a private donation and other fundraising revenue gives us interim funding to continue this essential service for the short-term."
