When George Chen, Principal Dentist of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (Queensland Section), left his longstanding clinic position to join the RFDS, he was instantly captivated by his new role.
Leading a dedicated team, George delivers essential dental services in the state-of-the-art RFDS mobile dental unit.
Operating from two fully equipped dental surgeries within the mobile dental unit, the RFDS Dental Service offers free preventative care and treatment for various oral health conditions.
George's primary aim is to improve the oral health of communities without access to a regular dentist, aiming to mitigate the need for extractions and reduce the risk of gum disease.
“The oral health access in remote and rural communities is quite limited, which unfortunately results in a higher rate of extractions,” George said.
“Being able to help improve the oral health of these patients and restore their smiles is very satisfying.
"We also promote consistent and effective oral health care practices for our patients to maintain their oral health between visits.”
Reflecting on impactful moments, George shared a recent success story with a patient who had a significant fear of the dentist.
"During her first visit, we took time to familiarise her with the dental environment and thoroughly explained each step we would take," he said.
"This approach helped her feel more comfortable, allowing us to perform necessary fillings and avoid the need for more invasive treatments.
“It's incredibly fulfilling to help patients overcome their fears so we can provide them with the best possible care.”
The RFDS Dental Service travels to many rural and remote communities often on a two-week rotation.
In his second year with the dental team, George now enjoys seeing familiar faces throughout his journey across Queensland.
“Recently, I had the saw a patient I treated last year, who wanted to update us about what has happened in her life since we last saw her,” George said.
“We were all very excited to hear she had been married, got her dream job and life has been treating her well.
“It’s nice to see familiar faces when we revisit towns.”
Looking ahead, George eagerly awaits meeting new people and continuing to visit rural communities to provide much-needed dental health services.
Through their unwavering dedication, George and the RFDS dental team remain committed to bringing smiles and essential dental care to rural and remote Queenslanders.
