CHILD & ADOLESCENT ORAL HEALTH SERVICES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Background
How will it affect children and their families?
How will it affect oral health services for adolescents?
When is our area likely to be affected?
My school has a dental clinic, how will the transition occur?
My school hasn't been approached about a fixed facility clinic, so what can I expect?
Who will I contact if my child needs dental care?

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Background

You may have noticed a ‘new look’ Community Dental Service operating in your area, from Kaikoura to Timaru.

On behalf of the Ministry of Health we are realigning the Community Dental Services throughout the Canterbury region. The prevailing model of providing dental care to Canterbury children from 128 school dental clinics is unsustainable and does not reflect the changing demographics of the region or the changes in dentistry. We have not been reducing the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth in our community, which is our primary objective.

This is part of a Canterbury-wide upgrade of what has formerly been known as the School Dental Service. Twelve new or upgraded dental clinics are being built, along with twenty mobile dental vans, so that the children most in need of dental services are reached. This will improve access to our services and reduce inequalities that currently exist.

The service aim is to improve the delivery of dental care to children by making access to check ups available at every school, increasing our prevention work with pre-schoolers and providing this through new up-to-date facilities.

Intensive preventive program targeted at most at-risk children
Additional services for adolescents at low decile high schools
Better coordinated care for children with special needs
Wider range of treatment and capacity for more flexible hours

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How will it affect children and their families?

All school-age children will have their dental check-ups at school in a mobile dental unit that will visit the school once a year.
Examinations, x-rays and preventive treatment such as fissure sealants and fluoride treatments will be available at school in the dental mobile.
If a child is diagnosed to require other operative work such as fillings or extractions an appointment will be arranged at the nearest Community Dental Clinic for treatment.
Preschoolers will have their dental checks at the Community Clinic. Caregivers will be contacted when their preschooler is due for a check-up.
Access to dental services for families will be improved, as a therapist will, during school terms, be in attendance at the Community Clinic.
Appointments will be managed through our new call centre.

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How will it affect oral health services for adolescents?

The existing arrangements for adolescent services will not change - click here for a list of dentists providing free dental care for adolescents in your area.

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When is our area likely to be affected?

Given the size of the Canterbury region, communities have been targeted at different times throughout the project. We are taking a region-by-region approach so that the changes are carried out as quickly as possible.

We expect to contact each school to make arrangements for the mobile dental clinic (issues such as site and access) and the decommissioning of the existing dental clinic. An agreement (endorsed by the Ministries of Education and Health) between the school and CDHB will formalise the arrangement - click here for more information.

We anticipate the following dates for rolling out the project in your area:

Aranui area:	Clinic open, school clinics being decommissioned in term 3 2011
Far North Canterbury area:	To be confirmed
Lincoln area:	September 2011
Northcote area:	Clinic open, remaining school clinics being decommissioned
Woolston area:	Clinic open, remaining school clinics being decommissioned

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My school has a dental clinic, how will the transition occur?

As the project team reaches your area, Community Dental Service representatives will notify schools of the changes. Arrangements will be made with each school regarding sites for mobile dental unit parking and the handing over of clinics for school use. For schools, click here for further information from the Ministry of Education.

School newsletters will notify families when the mobile dental unit is about to visit their school, where the local Community Clinic is situated and the changes in processes for seeking dental care for their children. Well Child providers will also be given information for referral of preschoolers to the Community Dental Service. Parents will be notified by your school when the changes occur.

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My school hasn't been approached about a fixed facility clinic, so what can I expect?

The 12 Community Dental Clinic sites have been decided in consultation with the site owners. If your school is not one that has been contacted then your school will be one that is visited annually by the mobile dental unit. You will be contacted and consulted with by a Canterbury District Health Board representative well before a mobile unit visits your school.

For schools, click here for Q&As from the Ministry of Education.

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Who will I contact if my child needs dental care?

If you need to make contact with your dental therapist regarding your child's dental health, please phone 0800 846 983.

For further information regarding these changes contact:

The Project Team
Community Dental Service
Sylvan St, Hillmorton Hospital
Telephone 0800 846 983