Oral Health Promotion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
On this page:
- Baby Teeth Talk - The Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (The University of Adelaide)
- Deadly Teeth - Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation and the Health Promotion Unit at Portland District Hospital (Victoria)
- Associations between Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular surrogate endpoints among Indigenous adults - Indigenous Oral Health Unit, The Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (The University of Adelaide)
Baby Teeth Talk - Indigenous Oral Health Unit, The Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (The University of Adelaide)
Long title: Baby Teeth Talk: Reducing disease burden and health inequalities arising from chronic dental disease among Indigenous children: An early childhood caries intervention.
Study type: Trial of culturally-appropriate interventions.
Investigator: A/Professor Lisa Jamieson.
Contact: Lisa Jamieson - lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
Baby teeth talk team: Joanne Hedges, Keryn Wiseman, Helen Mills, Jacqueline Aldis.
Anticipated start/finish date: 1 January 2010/31 December 2015
Summary: This randomised controlled trial (delayed intervention for the control group) recruits parents of Indigenous infants in South Australia to determine if culturally-appropriate early childhood caries intervention reduces dental disease prevalence and oral health inequalities experienced by Indigenous children. The interventions occur from pregnancy at four stages and involve provision of dental care, the application of fluoride varnish on children's teeth, motivational interviewing and anticipatory guidance.
Deadly Teeth - Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation and the Health Promotion Unit at Portland District Hospital (Victoria)
This project is an extension of the Smiles 4 Miles project (2008) conducted by Dental Health Research Victoria.
Study type: This project aims to develop and identify a wide array of key oral health promotion resources to empower Aboriginal communities in Victoria to have control of and determine their oral health.
Contact:
Portland District Health, Health Promotion Unit.
33 Otway St, Portland Vic 3305
(03)5522 1198
Imsmith@swarh.vic.gov.au
Chief Investigators:
Michael Bell, Chief Executive Officer of Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation, Heywood Victoria.
Lynda Smith, Health promotion Officer of Portland District Health, Portland Victoria.
Summary: This collaboration between Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation 
and the Health Promotion Unit at Portland District Hospital , aims to provide culturally appropriate health promotion initiatives for families with children between 0-5 years old by developing a 'holistic concept' of oral health through oral hygiene, nutrition, oral health literacy and access to dental services. Resources include family tip sheets (phase 1), oral health promotion training for Indigenous community health workers (phase 2).
Related Publications:
- New Oral Health Resources for 'Deadly Teeth'. Media Release 11 July, 2011.
- Deadly Teeth: Promoting Oral Health in Gunditjmara Country. Project Report (Phase 1) May 2012.
Associations Between Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular surrogate endpoints among Indigenous adults - Indigenous Oral Health Unit, The Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (The University of Adelaide)
Study type: Benefits of Periodontal intervention for reducing Cardiovascular risks for Indigenous populations.
Chief Investigator: A/Professor Lisa Jamieson
Contact: Lisa Jamieson - lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
Anticipated start/finish date:
Summary: The target population for this research are Indigenous Australia's who experience high rates (compared with the non-Indigenous population) of Periodontal Disease and cardiovascular surrogate endpoints. The study aims to determine if periodontal intervention in this group will reduce Cardiovascular risks.