Foundation kicks off urgent dental care drive

BARWON Health Foundation has launched an ambitious fundraising drive for a dental centre in Geelong’s north, in the first step towards improving health outcomes for the city’s most disadvantaged area.

BHF’s Project North campaign is targeting $2.5 million to build a purpose-built public dental facility at Barwon Health North, on the Princes Highway at Norlane.

Transferring services from the current facility at Corio Community Health Care would allow an additional 14,000 residents each year to access dental care each year.

Data released by the Australian Dental Association showed that Barwon Health treated 20,820 total patients in the 2020-21 financial year and had 4534 on its waiting list for public dental care.

Barwon Health has identified oral health as the most urgent health need in the north Geelong region, which was the catalyst for the foundation’s fundraising campaign.

“Learning about the impact of poor oral health has been an eye opener for us, particularly the local rate of oral disease and its direct link to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and adverse pregnancy outcomes,” BHF executive director Zoe Waters said.

2016 census data shows the 3214 postcode – which takes in part of Corio, Norlane and North Shore – have a median household income that is 52 per cent of central Geelong areas and have some of the lowest socio-economic index rankings in Australia.

The area’s disease burden is also among the highest in Victoria, leading to lower life expectancy and higher disability rates than state averages.

Corio’s current dentist clinic is struggling to cater for current demands, with narrow corridors and small treatment rooms worsening the experience of already anxious dental patients.

Barwon Health’s Corio Dental team leader Sonya Howard said a new facility would provide an urgently needed public health boost.

“Many people believe that dental health is simply cosmetic, but this is not the case at all. Oral infections are the number one preventable cause of hospitalisation for children aged 0 to 9 here in Victoria,” she said.

“Every morning when the team and I arrive, we are met by more than 20 patients waiting for emergency dental care due to serve pain, facial swelling or infection.”

BHF said the dental centre would be the first piece of an extensive puzzle to provide better healthcare for residents in Geelong’s northern suburbs.