title: A decade of experience evolving visiting dental services in partnership with rural remote Aboriginal communities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Embedding research capabilities and workforce development activities with clinical service entities promotes the development of sustainable, innovative, quality-focused oral health care services. Clinical and strategic governance is an important area of consideration for rural and remote dental services, posing particular challenges for smaller service structures. Sustaining remote area dental services has some significant complexities beyond those involved in urban service models.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study describes the sustaining structure of a remote area dental service with a decade of history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the current climate, chief among these challenges may be those associated with dental workforce shortages as these impact most heavily in the public sector, and most particularly, in remote areas. As sustained workforce solutions come from developing a future workforce, an essential element of the workforce governance framework for remote dental service provision should be the inclusion of a student participation programme. Collaborative partnership approaches with Aboriginal health services promote the development and maintenance of effective, culturally sensitive dental services within rural and remote Aboriginal communities. Having sustained care for 10 years, this collaborative model of integrated research, education and service has demonstrated its effectiveness as a service model for Aboriginal communities in Western Australia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This descriptive study finds the core values for this success have been communication, clinical leadership, mentorship within effective governance systems all linked to an integrated education and research agenda.
authors.affiliation: International Research Collaborative-Oral Health and Equity, The University of Western Australia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dyson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kruger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tennant
mesh_terms: D057191:Capacity Building / Q000379:methods; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D018865:Dental Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012424:Rural Population; D014904:Western Australia; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Governance; remote areas; services