The Mission
To build a dental workforce and
raise funds to improve the oral health of people with disability.
Why do we need this?
Poor oral health is linked to poor general health. Our ability to smile is integral to life and the one thing that can stop us from smiling is the state of our teeth. When you talk to someone the first thing you notice is if they have decayed or missing teeth or indeed bad breath. People won’t smile if they are embarrassed about the state of their mouths.
If you have poor oral health it impacts on your ability to actively participate in society, it impacts your ability to eat and speak, it makes it tougher for you to find a job, have meaningful relationships and in many cases, when it’s really bad it prevents you from actively contributing in society.
A poor set of teeth can be socially isolating. I am passionate about changing this for people with disability. I want to advocate and be a voice for people who can’t find a way to manoeuvre the dental world. I want to be the bridge that links the dental profession and people with disability. Let’s stop the water between the two sides of the river being an insurmountable barrier. Help me build that bridge!
The Statistics
There are only 25 registered Specialists in Special Needs Dentistry in Australia and all of them are based in major cities. That amounts to 1 specialist per 176,000 people with a disability. (Dental Board of Australia, 2021)
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