Royal Flying Doctors Launch New Queensland Dental Service

Much of the beauty of Australia is in its sheer size, but with grand spaces come grand challenges, and it’s here that the Royal Flying Doctors of Australia step in. With many rural Australian communities cut off by distance and infrastructure, finding emergency medical help and even standard medical care can be a huge challenge.

Covering an area of 7.3 million square kilometres, the RFDA is one of the most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world. With a dedicated team of medical professionals and extensive network of volunteers, the organisation provides vital resources and services. Recognising the link between overall health and good oral hygiene, the RDAF have been delivering fly-in fly-out dental clinics using a mix of state, private and donor funding.

While the past efforts have undoubtedly relieved the strain on rural and remote communities around Australia, the RDAF have recently launched the development of the RDFS Dental Service in Queensland.

Working with Government to Bring A Smile to Remote QLD Communities

Launching in Winton in June by the Federal Member for Maranoa, David Littleproud MP, the new RDAF Dental Service is now Commonwealth-funded and will be able to continue to provide free dental consultations from a custom build mobile dental unit.

The unit comes in the form of a state of the art 18-wheel semi-trailer featuring:

·         A sterilisation area

·         Two clinics

·         Reception desk

·         panoramic X-Ray equipment

The RFDA Dental Clinic will benefit from a commitment by the federal government of $11 million, allowing it to cover more remote areas. Over the next 12 months the clinic is expected to travel to 16 rural and remote communities throughout Queensland.

Working together to treat Australia

The Queensland based RFDA Dental Clinic is not alone in its endeavour, with similar initiatives running throughout remote and regional areas in Western Australia, Victoria, NSW and SA/NT. The services have worked hard over the past four years to treat thousands of patients suffering from poor oral hygiene. In 2014-2015 alone there were 9, 845 episodes of dental care administered by the RFDA, and during the first four years of dental services the RFDA delivered more that $4 million dollars to patients in Queensland alone.

With outreach and clinic programs running in each state and Territory throughout Australia, the RFDA is in constant need of support and volunteers. For those interested in taking the first steps to joining RFDA, Medic One provide a range of paramedic and first aid courses to help you kick start your education in the medical and paramedic industry.