As the nation celebrated National Close the Gap Day yesterday a report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) revealed indigenous children who require follow-up dental services have to wait an average of just over 14 months, and that rates of decayed, missing or filled teeth was significantly higher than for other Australian children.
More than 850 events were registered to mark national Close the Gap Day, including a special breakfast at Parliament House in Canberra for thirty-five federal MPs. In preparation for those events, it was noted that significant health disparities still exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The AIHW report, Dental health of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory, provides information on the dental services delivered as part of the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement (NPA). The report details the amount and types of dental services provided, the extent of follow-up care provided to children with dental referrals and the oral health status of children who received dental services.
“Although the high mobility of Indigenous children in these areas is a challenge when providing follow-up services, 60 per cent of the children who required follow-up care have been seen by a dental health professional,” said Dr Indrani Pieris-Caldwell of the AIHW’s Indigenous Determinants & Outcomes Unit.
Based on about 4,300 children who had treatment data available, almost all children receiving a dental service also received a diagnostic service. The most common services provided were preventative (70 per cent) and restorative (48 per cent), followed by fluoride varnish and dental surgery (16 per cent). However, 55 per cent required further dental care after their initial consultation.
The findings of this report also suggest that the considerable need for dental services among these children is expected to continue into the future because of the high prevalence of oral health problems and a significant number of follow-up services required.
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