title: Client perspectives on an Aboriginal community led oral health service in rural Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An oral health service was implemented, using a unique community development approach, for Northern NSW Australian Aboriginal communities in 2013-14. This study examined the views of children (and parents) who accessed the service, including: the extent of reported dental problems, oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, accessibility of oral health services, satisfaction and cultural sensitivity of the service.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of the children who accessed this service was conducted between October 2014 and December 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 49 (71%) Aboriginal children aged 4-14 (or parents of), provided responses to the survey. All agreed that healthy teeth were important (100%), but many thought oral disease leading to extraction was normal (68%). High levels of oral pain were reported (66%), half (53%) reported brushing morning and night. Access to the new dental health service was reported as 'easy' (92%). Many walked (47%) or were driven (35%) in <30 min (90%). All respondents were happy with their dental treatment, and that their Aboriginal heritage was respected by the oral health team (100%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implementation of a new community led oral health service to Northern NSW Aboriginal communities was shown here to be well-utilised, respected and in an area of high need. The collaborative approach could be continued to be utilised to implement targeted, community led health promotion programs to facilitate and encourage better oral health practices for the Aboriginal children in these communities.
authors.affiliation: The Poche Centre for Indigenious Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irving
authors.affiliation: The Poche Centre for Indigenious Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gwynne
authors.affiliation: The Poche Centre for Indigenious Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Blake
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Angell
authors.affiliation: International Research Collaborative - Oral Health and Equity, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tennant
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blinkhorn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D009909:Oral Health; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Aboriginal; dental; dental health; health promotion; rural; survey