Week 5 Manju: Prevalence of oral conditions in rural and remote communities

Question 1

What health risk factors are more common in rural/remote areas?

Answer 1

• Higher rates daily smoking
• Overweight
• Less likely to eat recommended fruit serving
• More likely to consume sugar sweetened drinks
• More likely to consume harmful alcohol levels

Question 2

What is poor oral health in regional and remote areas attributed to?

Answer 2

• Fewer dental practitioners in regional areas per head of population than in metropolitan areas
• Higher costs of providing services
• A lack of affordable or accessible transport
• Reduced access to fluoridated water
• Increased cost of health food choices and oral hygiene products
• Inadequate clinical infrastructure

Question 3

What are key strategies in Australia’s national oral health plan?

Answer 3

• Promote F in alternative forms to people w/o access to optimally F water supplied
• Explore mechanisms to reduce cost of nutritious foods and oral hygiene products
• Implements innovative service and funding models to support flexible oral health service delivery in regional and remote communities
• Enhance programs to recruit and retain dental practitioner students and practitioners in regional and remote areas

Question 4

What are factors influencing rural recruitment and retention?

Answer 4

• Job availability
• Family relationships, Partner
• Good mentorship
• Clinical training/experience
• Lifestyle
• Sustainability of practice
• Financial incentives
• Job satisfaction
• Social isolation/support networks
• Family needs
• Rural exposure
• Housing, infrastructure
• Community (gold fish bowl)