The QCoal Community Dental Service, a partnership between the QCoal Foundation and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section), is celebrating its fourth anniversary.
Comprised of two dental surgeries in a purpose-built semi-trailer, the service provides dental care and treatment in communities where there is limited access to oral health services.
While meeting with RFDS Queensland Section Chairman, Mark Gray and members of its Executive Leadership team last week, QCoal Foundation Director Christopher Wallin said the QCoal Foundation was pleased to join the RFDS to celebrate the significant milestone of four years of dental service across rural and remote Queensland.
"Travelling over 54,000 kilometres and treating over 8000 patients from 21 communities has not only proven the essential role of mobile service delivery but has highlighted the ongoing need for better oral health access, which has been echoed by the Commonwealth Government's recent announcement of funding to support service delivery in the regions," Mr Wallin said.
"We are very proud of the outcomes the Dental Service has achieved and acknowledge both the hard working Dental Team and the management of the RFDS who share our commitment to addressing the current imbalance between service delivery in metropolitan and regional areas."
RFDS Queensland Chairman, Mark Gray, said the partnership between the RFDS and the QCoal Foundation provides essential frontline services for those living and working in rural and remote communities where access to dental care is a major concern.
"RFDS is justifiably proud, that through its innovative collaboration with the QCoal Foundation, governments both state and federal are beginning to appreciate the effectiveness of tackling the issue of remote access to oral health care, by developing mobile services that have the flexibility to travel in and out of identified communities in need," Mr Gray said.
Together, the Flying Doctor and QCoal Foundation will continue to look at ways to enhance the service and partner with Government to ensure the people who live in rural and remote Queensland have access to the same level of oral health care as their metropolitan counterparts.
For more information call 1800 002 507 or visit https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/qld/what-we-do/oral-health/
