A team of nine dental clinicians arrived in Gove this week as part of the Helping Hands Oral Health Project.
The Project is part of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) to assist with the current demand for dental treatment in the Territory. It follows a week of dental surgery at Gove in September, Katherine in June and July and Alice Springs in May and August.
The children will be arriving on charter flights from Raminging and Gapuwiak, each with a carer. Staff will meet them and the dental team will do a surgical consultation and treatment under general anaesthetic.
Children and their carers will stay in the hospital or at a local accommodation overnight before heading home the next day.
The dental team have come in from Darwin to provide treatment for the children and aim to treat over 30 children under the age of 16, with all being flown home by Saturday.
Oral Health Project Manager, Julie Hornibrook says, "All the children have had child health checks and a dental assessment. This surgical treatment means their dental care will be completed in one session and they will be out of pain and discomfort"
"Surgery is not a solution compared to prevention. Children and their parents need to become more aware of oral hygiene so they can look after their children's teeth as soon as the teeth appear at about 6 - 9 months of age."
"If you don't start cleaning teeth and gums at an early age then by the time children start school the damage has already started," she says.
"Its great to see programs such as Good Teeth - Clean Week, which ran in September, and we hope to bring these messages across the Territory with us. Students in Wadeye have even produced a song 'Brush Brush Brush - it's the only way' for a locally made DVD which was also launched in September." she says.
"The last time the NTER dental team were in Gove one of the children brought in a baby emu under his arm and surprised the whole dental team visiting from Sydney, Mrs Hornibrook continued, "It was fantastic to see this emu which was hidden under his arm until his check up, and memories such as these are highlights for staff who are returning to do more work with us".
"It is an amazing experience to be able to work on this Project and I encourage those in the dental profession to take up an opportunity to work in this rewarding environment", she said.
For further information go to nt.gov.au/health or contact 1800 000 648
Media Contact: Cameron Jackson 0401 116 144
Release date: 23 October 2008
