The Community Outreach Dental Program provides dental and other health services for people who have suffered homelessness or have difficulty accessing conventional care.
Driven by the Adelaide University Dental School, the Community Outreach Dental Program attends to hundreds of patients each year while providing dental and oral health students with thousands of additional clinical hours annually.
Care is delivered by final-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery and Bachelor of Oral Health students under the close supervision of experienced dental practitioners.
The program’s dental clinic was established in September 2011 and operates on weekdays within the Light Square Common Ground complex in Adelaide’s West End, which provides secure housing alongside a range of integrated support services.
The program is supported by Adelaide University staff as well as private dentists and allied health professionals who contribute through supervision, mentoring and specialist input.
Services
Community benefit
The Community Outreach Dental Program reflects Adelaide University’s deep commitment to ensuring thinkers and professionals of the future have a strong sense of social justice and are dedicated to improving the quality of life of marginalised and vulnerable people in our community.
There are many known links between dental and general health problems, yet many Australians – particularly those in low socio-economic areas or experiencing homelessness – cannot access basic dental care when they need it. Here in South Australia, there are more than 7500 homeless people, for whom poor oral health is widespread and treatment waiting lists are often years long.
Through the outreach program, we’re doing what we can to improve their situation.