Understanding Influences On Oral Health Of Contemporary Australian Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
This study will contribute to an understanding of the factors affecting child oral health. Findings will have scientific value and relevance for the policy-making process in developing new methods of oral health prevention to target modifiable factors that will lead to improvement of oral health of children
Minimally Invasive Approach To Manage Early Childhood Caries In Aboriginal Preschoolers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,488,220.00
Summary
The treatment of dental decay in young children is often undertaken in a hospital, which is costly and risky. A treatment approach tested among a non-Aboriginal preschool population in WA, using hand instruments only and without the use of local anaesthesia, showed nearly a ten-fold reduction in the need for specialist dental care. This study will test the effectiveness of dental treatment of preschool children in rural and remote Aboriginal communities, using the alternative approach.
Approach To Address Socioeconomic Inequality In Oral Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$773,033.00
Summary
This research program is expected to contribute to filling significant gaps in the understanding of factors determining the oral health of Australian preschool children. The inter-relationship between factors potentially important for child oral health and their effect on oral health will be evaluated. The findings will help to re-evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral health preventive programs used for children and to explain inequality in oral health of children.
Strengthening Oral Health Workforce Governance: A Qualitative-quantitative Investigation Of Workforce Integration Approaches In England And Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,768.00
Summary
Health workforce governance provides stewardship to the future of health systems. This fellowship study seeks a novel solution to oral health workforce governance and brings the transformative potential to improve coordination and reduce negative impacts of a fragmented oral health care system. A two-way parallel design is planned in England and Australia, best utilising the available methodological expertise and proposing an innovative interdisciplinary approach.
Dental Health Services Research For Improved Oral Health Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,641,484.00
Summary
This research will generate new knowledge to improve health outcomes by investigating expenditure and financing of dental care, dental practice performance, and the impact of dental services on oral health outcomes. This is needed for health policy to deliver dental care that promotes good oral health, to identify characteristics of the dental delivery system that deliver productive outputs with good outcomes, and testing oral health outcomes in relation to the type of dental care received.
Dental Service Utilisation In Young Adults: A Function Of Need, Health Behaviours Or Socio-demographic Variables?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$58,190.00
Summary
Over the past 20 years there have been significant gains made in the oral health of children, with the majority of 12 year olds in Australia in 1996 having no dental decay. There are however some indications that young adulthood may have become a period of increased risk of dental disease, as young adults leave home, become increasingly independent, have financial pressures whilst establishing themselves and change their diet and other habits. In 1998-99 a baseline study was conducted on a sampl ....Over the past 20 years there have been significant gains made in the oral health of children, with the majority of 12 year olds in Australia in 1996 having no dental decay. There are however some indications that young adulthood may have become a period of increased risk of dental disease, as young adults leave home, become increasingly independent, have financial pressures whilst establishing themselves and change their diet and other habits. In 1998-99 a baseline study was conducted on a sample of Adelaide young adults 20-24 years using telephone interviews and oral examinations. Data was obtained on dental visiting patterns, socio-economic status, living arrangements, and health behaviours such as smoking and playing sport, as well as oral health. This study seeks to follow-up the sample of 1265 young adults who were interviewed in 1998-99 to ascertain any changes in oral health and utilisation of dental services. Data on socio-economic status, living arrangements and health behaviours will also be collected to determine whether any changes in those factors may explain changes in visiting behaviour and oral health. In addition participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire on satisfaction with dental care. Permission will be sought to gain access to participants School Dental Service records to determine whether any relationship exists between childhood visiting patterns and those in adulthood. This study will enable identification of the factors which affect oral health and dental utilisation in young adults to assist in the development of oral health promotion strategies to encourage timely, effective and appropriate dental service utilisation and preventive behaviours. To improve the oral health of Australians the maintenance of gains made in childhood is essential.Read moreRead less
Dental Care And Oral Health For The Indigenous Communities Of South Australia's Mid-north
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
Improving access to dental services and oral health for Indigenous communities is a high priority. This project will initially involve the evaluation of oral health programs for Indigenous children in Port Augusta. This will guide the planning and implementation of programs for the other age groups and for the remote communities serviced by Pika Wiya Health Service. In addition, the project group will investigate the appropriateness of the developed strategies for implementation in other communi ....Improving access to dental services and oral health for Indigenous communities is a high priority. This project will initially involve the evaluation of oral health programs for Indigenous children in Port Augusta. This will guide the planning and implementation of programs for the other age groups and for the remote communities serviced by Pika Wiya Health Service. In addition, the project group will investigate the appropriateness of the developed strategies for implementation in other communities.Read moreRead less
The National Survey of Adult Oral Health will interview and dentally examine 7,500 people aged 15 or more across all States and Territories of Australia. It will provide a national snap-shot of the nation's oral health, including levels of tooth loss, dental decay and gum disease. The survey, to be conducted in 2004-04, will be directed by researchers at the Australian Research Center for Population Oral Health at The University of Adelaide. It will be conducted in collaboration with the Commonw ....The National Survey of Adult Oral Health will interview and dentally examine 7,500 people aged 15 or more across all States and Territories of Australia. It will provide a national snap-shot of the nation's oral health, including levels of tooth loss, dental decay and gum disease. The survey, to be conducted in 2004-04, will be directed by researchers at the Australian Research Center for Population Oral Health at The University of Adelaide. It will be conducted in collaboration with the Commonwealth and State-Territory health departments. Occurring 17 years after the first National Oral Health Survey of Australia, this new survey will monitor changes in oral health among all Australians. The survey will identify groups at particular disadvantage in terms of oral diseases, and it will search for lifestyle and community-level hazards that increase the risk of oral disorders. The study will have a compare patterns of dental health among people born before and after the fluoride generation of adults born in the 1960s when most of Australia's capital city water supplies became fluoridated. The study has been designed to automatically capture national statistics on general health among the 7,500 study participants over the next decade. The researchers will use that information to study links that have been observed in other countries between gum disease and heart disease. Results from the survey will provide the basis for monitoring progress towards national health targets and provide information to help direct dental health services into the 21st century.Read moreRead less