Researchers launch project to tackle poor oral health care in Australia
A team of researchers will carry out a four year study to try and find ways to tackle the problem of poor oral health amongst Australian children.
Professor John Spencer, from the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health said that children’s oral health was a real concern, with rates of tooth decay on the rise. Figures show that dental problems are the most common reason for hospital admissions for children under the age of 14. Professor Spencer claimed that figures showed that standards of oral health were declining and the aim of the study was to determine how dental services affect standards of oral health.
Professor Spencer said that the study will focus on the provision of dental services and the outcomes associated with services in different areas. Spencer said that in recent years, the gap between different areas of the country had widened and children from poorer areas were more likely to suffer from dental health problems.
The study, which will focus on around 32,000 children, will be used to identify problems with the system and detect underserved areas; this information can then be used to bring in new measures to improve oral health amongst children.
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