Advocacy

The ADA and state branches regularly meet to discuss and work together on oral health initiatives at both the national and state level.

Learn about ADA oral health resources.

The ADAVB Oral Health Committee reviews and updates oral health fact sheets for the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services’ Better Health Channel website. The Better Health Channel is a frequently used as a source of health information, accessed by consumers in Australia and around the world.

Learn about the Better Health Channel.

The ADAVB is represented on the Reference Group, which oversees Dental Health Services Victoria’s (DHSV’s) Healthy Families, Healthy Smiles initiative. The initiative aims to improve the oral health of pregnant women and children aged 0–3 years through education delivered by early childhood professionals.

Learn about the Healthy Families, Healthy Smiles initiative.

Learn about DHSV’s oral health resources.

The ADAVB Oral Health Committee prepares articles for the AMA Victoria to assist medical practitioners to identify and manage patients’ oral health issues prior to dental visits. 

Volunteer ADAVB members attend selected public events to promote oral health and engage with members of the community.

The ADAVB supports the Rethink Sugary Drink campaign, which promotes reducing sugary drink consumption to prevent tooth decay and other health issues.

Learn about Rethink Sugary Drink.

The ADHF organises free dental treatment for people in need through various charities.

The ADAVB provides in-kind support to the ADHF Victoria/Tasmania through the use of facilities and promotion of their work as needed.

Learn about the ADHF.

The Oral Cancer Screening and Prevention Program is an initiative funded by the Department of Health and Human Services under the Victorian Cancer Plan 2016–2020. It aims to improve oral cancer prevention, screening and early diagnosis, and reduce the impact of the disease on Victorians. The program is led by Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) in partnership with the University of Melbourne Dental School, ADAVB, La Trobe University Department of Dentistry and the Department of Health and Human Services, which also funds the program.

The ADAVB supports eviDent Foundation, which facilitates dental practice-based research in dental care and health promotion.

Learn about eviDent Foundation.

The ADAVB partnered with Quit Victoria, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and Dental Health Services Victoria on the Smokefree Smiles project, which was funded by the DHHS. Smokefree Smiles aimed to integrate an updated smoking cessation ‘brief intervention’ protocol as part of dental consultations. Online training and resources are available to oral health professionals.

Learn about Smokefree Smiles and access online training for oral health professionals.

The ADAVB collaborates with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Victoria and Dental Health Services Victoria in provision of the Flying Doctor Dental Clinic (FDDC). The FDDC provides oral health practitioners with mobile equipment to deliver dental care to those living in remote areas of Victoria.

Learn about the FDDC.

ADAVB’s Dr Katy Theodore talks to Gerrard Clausen from the TAC about how ADAVB members can claim and process their client’s needs efficiently. It also explores how dentists can better interact with the TAC.

Tune in here or read the transcript.

The ADAVB and Professionals Australia (PA) worked together to represent the workplace rights of public dentists to improve their pay and working conditions. Dentists employed at Victorian public sector dental clinics are now covered by EBAs successfully negotiated by ADAVB/PA.

Learn more.

The ADAVB partners with health, professional and consumer bodies to advocate for better access to public dental care through increased public dental funding and shorter waiting times.