Resources & Referrals > Health Categories > Dental Oral Health
Dental Oral Health
People from refugee-like backgrounds may not have had an assessment of oral health in their country of origin. Poor oral health is a significant public health issue and can cause long-term morbidity. Common oral health problems among people from refugee-like backgrounds include dental caries, missing teeth and periodontal disease; less common issues include orofacial trauma or oral cancers.
For information about approaches to care for people from a refugee background please see the Refugee Health Guide.
Refugee and asylum seekers are entitled to priority group access and entitled to a fee waiver for public dental care, including general, denture and specialty services. For information on eligibility please visit Oral Health Victoria.
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Referral
Oral Health Victoria
There are over 80 public dental services located in community health centres throughout metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria. Search for the nearest dental service to you and/or your client on the website. All refugee and asylum seekers have free access to public dental services.Visit
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Referral
The Australian Dental Health Foundation (ADHF)
Volunteer dentists and their support staff donate their time, skills and practice facilities to provide dental treatment at no cost to patients aged from 18-65 years who have been referred to the ADHF by registered charities and not for profit organisations.Visit
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Referral
Emergency Dental Treatment
Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne: If the client needs an emergency appointment, please contact 1300 360 054.Visit
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Referral
Australian Dental Association — Find a Dentist
Search for a Dentist including by location and speciality through the Australian Dental Association website.Visit
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Referral
Smile Squad
Povides free dental care for all Victorian public school students (from 2022). Students do not need Medicare, healthcare card or be eligible for the CDBS (see below) to participate.Visit
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Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities Resource Kit
This Kit has been developed to help dental staff deliver a culturally sensitive service that meets the needs of diverse communities and clients, identifying systemic barriers and suggesting strategies that can help overcome them.Visit
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Oral Health Victoria – Translated Resources
Translated oral health information by Oral Health Victoria in Arabic, Burmese, Chin Hakha, Chinese, Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Karen, Khmer, Malay, Nepali, Nuer, Punjabi, Somali, Swahili, Tigrinya, Urdu, and Vietnamese.Visit
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Final Report Refugee Oral Health Sector Capacity Building Project
January 2012 – January 2013View Document
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Refugee and Asylum Seeker Oral Health Recall Tool
A Refugee and Asylum Seeker Oral Health Recall Tool has been developed for use in Victorian public dental services. This report details the process and findings of the development and piloting of this tool.View Document
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Health Translations: Oral Health Resources
Health Translations is a free online library of high-quality translated Australian health and wellbeing information.Visit
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Publication
A Qualitative Study on Barriers and Facilitators to Children’s Oral Healthcare From the Perspective of Karen Refugee Parents in Victoria Health expectations
This study explores the barriers and facilitators Karen refugees encounter when seeking oral healthcare for their children in Australia, aiming to understand their experiences.Read