A $207 MILLION grant to public dental services by the state government will allow Central Bayside Community Health Services in Parkdale to treat clients with new and upgraded dental equipment.
The state government funding will pay for eight dental chairs, steriliser and extra sterilising equipment, and an x-ray machine.
The result will be higher quality care, improved safety and better outcomes for Kingston residents.
The value of their service was brought home to staff by a letter from a former client who had been the victim of long-term domestic violence.
The woman says the support, understanding and kindness she received from Bayside Health staff, as well as their professional treatment, helped her “reclaim” her life.
“My teeth were a mess,” she told them. “You organised immediate extraction and an upper denture. A lot of that time is still a blur as I was in a pretty bad state: you helped me organise my finances, helped restore my confidence – and always with smile and encouragement.
“Part of rebuilding my life meant going to counselling. Without new teeth I literally could not speak. Having been silent from years of abuse and shame it actually meant far more to me than just the dignity of dentures in normal circumstances.”
The woman said she “could never express what your help meant to me at the time”. Shattered and afraid, she felt her cause was hopeless and looks back now realising how staff worked to ease her pain, encourage her and help re-establish herself.
Having new teeth meant she could build the confidence to go to court and “continue my battle”, as well as end years of isolation from friends and family. Her new, stable life is a reward for the pain she experienced – and a tribute to the helpful role played by Bayside staff who “saw a crisis situation and yet gave me so much hope and support”.
This funding will provide dental treatment to 332,000 eligible patients this year, and includes more than $3.7 million to upgrade equipment at more than 40 public dental clinics across Victoria.
Central Bayside Community Health Services will also receive funding to upgrade digital radiography equipment which will mean dentists can quickly share images with other clinicians and doctors.
“This is an important investment in Victoria’s health system and will result in more patients receiving the care they need, as well as reducing waiting times,” Health Minister Jill Hennessy said.
“Good oral health is the foundation for good overall health.
“We know that lack of access to timely dental care can cause conditions to worsen and can even lead to chronic disease.”
Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson said this new equipment meant the services could continue to deliver vital public dental services to the local community.
“Central Bayside Community Health Services provides a vital service to our local community. The dentists and dental technicians work hard to ensure that everyone has access to the dental services they need.”
Dental services are a vital part of the Victorian health system and it is important that the government commits to improving dental services.
Good oral health is vital to an individual’s general health and their overall sense of wellbeing and self-esteem.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 26 August 2015