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NZ born dental expert - managing teeth without fillings

NZ born dental expert succeeds in managing teeth without using fillings

PUBLISHED: 20 JANUARY 2015

Big Day in 2014

The key-note speaker at an annual conference for oral health professionals in Hamilton on Friday will talk on why fillings in teeth are unnecessary because they are avoidable.

Associate Professor Wendell Evans, head of discipline, community oral health and epidemiology at the Faculty of Dentistry, Sydney University will describe his programme which has been successful in managing decay without fillings.

The programme is based on his 2007 paper called the Monitor Practice Programme: Is non-invasive management of dental caries a cost-effective solution? Evans is Australia’s leading expert on fluoride but was born and brought up in New Zealand.

As a young dentist in 1975 he studied the impact of fluoridation of the water supply on children by examining five or six children’s teeth a day. Waikato District Health Board (DHB) will host the ‘Big Day In’, at the Bryant Education Centre, Waiora Waikato hospital campus on Friday.

All three key note speakers’ presentations will offer new thinking about dental challenges under the categories of “Prevention, Professionalism and Prohibition”.

The second key speaker is Dr Gerhard Sundborn, public health researcher, University of Auckland. Dr Sundborn will outline activities towards improving overall health and the objective of a ‘sugary-drink free Aotearoa’ by 2025.

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Waikato DHB principal dental officer Rob Aitken says the audience will enjoy understanding more details of the initiatives already well underway.

Lastly, Dr Dexter Bambery, professional advisor to the Dental Council of New Zealand will present on professional risk management and the changing face of professionalism.

The Community Oral Health annual oral health conference has attracted an enthusiastic nationwide following from dental therapists, dentists, dental hygienists and is a keenly awaited annual event for learning and networking.

Demand this year has exceeded the auditorium capacity of 200 seats.

This year’s event will host attendees from Whangarei to Invercargill.

Service manager Diane Pevreal said the programme was interesting, informative and aligned with customers’ needs for modern evidence-based dentistry. “It’s a valuable event for the sector,” she said.

Both have a strong focus on professional development for staff, and the annual programme encourages collaboration and consistency across the oral health sector.

The event concludes with an open forum to discuss concepts learnt throughout the day and possible processes that can be implemented in district health boards and private practices.

For information on Waikato District Health Board’s free basic oral health services for children and adolescents (aged 0-18) phone 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) or 07 859 9160 or visit www.waikatodhb.health.nz/oralhealth

Big Day in 2015 programme

Ends


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