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Dental caries, periodontal diseases, tooth loss and oral cancers have significant burden of disease effects, quality of life and cost implications for the Australian community. Oral health promotion is a key approach to addressing these conditions endorsed as part of the National Oral Health Plan. Understanding the evidence for effectiveness of oral health promotion is integral to strategic planning for both oral and general health settings. Objective: The objective of this article is to report the key findings of a systematic review of the evidence for oral health promotion commissioned by the Victorian Department of Human Services in 2006. Methods: Evidence was collected and evaluated using a combined approach incorporating the Cochrane Public Health and Health Promotion Field Handbook and the Health Gains Notation in order to a develop a synthesis approach to reporting, framed around the Ottawa Charter. Findings: Findings included evidence supporting the continued fluoridation of water supplies, interventions aimed at early childhood and aged care settings, smoking cessation and capacity building with non-oral health care providers. Emerging evidence supporting multi-strategy community based approaches is also reported along with gaps in the evidence. General Conclusions: The authors conclude that, while there is good support for the incorporation of oral health into general health promotion, it will be important to monitor the outcomes in oral health terms. (Contains 2 tables.)

Introduction: In Victoria, dental therapists are restricted to treating patients under the age of 26 years. Removing this age restriction from dental therapists' scope of practice may assist significantly in addressing workforce shortages, particularly in rural Victoria. Objectives: This study aims to assess the capacity of dental therapists to provide direct coronal restorations (dental fillings) to patients older than 25 years, on the prescription of a dentist. Its objectives include determining the success rate of restorations placed by dental therapists six months post placement; and patients' and dental therapists' satisfaction with the services provided. Methods: The project was carried out in 2007 at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne. Seven dental therapists participated in the study, placed 356 restorations (115 patients) with the support of a dentist. These restorations were reviewed six-months post placement by dentists blinded as to which restorations were placed by the dental therapists. Patients' age ranged from 26 to 82 years (82% were >40 years). Results: At six months post-treatment, 258 restorations (80 patients) were reviewed. At review, 94.6% of the restorations were successful. Patients and dental therapists were satisfied with the experience. Conclusions: The standard of restorations provided by dental therapists was considered to be at least similar to that expected of a newly graduated dentist. Implications: Broadening the dental therapists scope of practice would create opportunities to design more flexible 'oral health' clinical teams enabling dentists to provide more complex procedures for patients most in need. This is significant in the public sector and rural areas where workforce shortages are most acute. Key words: workforce planning, role extension, dental therapists. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2009.00423.x

Introduction: Dental therapists, hygienists and oral health therapists constitute up to a third of the dental workforce in Australia and New Zealand. Personality is often explored in health professions to provide insights into traits that are conducive to workforce retention and to assist in planning and training. This study aimed to investigate the current demographic and personality characteristics of oral health students in Australia and New Zealand. Materials and methods: Students in years one to three of all eight undergraduate Bachelor of Oral Health programs in Australia and New Zealand were invited to complete an online survey. The survey measured activities prior to entering into oral health, career intentions and included a personality questionnaire, the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Results: Three quarters of participants (n = 336; 30% response rate; females = 90%) were single, from an urban area and 20-29 years of age. Oral health students overall portrayed high trait levels of Persistence and Cooperativeness. Cluster analysis of TCI traits identified three groups. Groups of students with high Persistence and Cooperativeness tended to be older, were working in non-dental and dental careers prior to their degree and were interested in working in regional areas after graduation. Conclusions: Students with high levels of persistence and cooperativeness were interested in working in regional areas after graduation, highlighting the importance of industriousness and persistence in overcoming barriers to practicing in regional areas. Further research is warranted to investigate barriers and enablers in recruitment and retention of males in a primarily female dominated profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Motivational interviewing (MI) is a promising behavioural intervention for prevention of dental caries in children. Few studies have reported on fidelity of MI delivered in dental settings. The aim of this paper is to explore the fidelity of implementing MI in a clinical dental practice setting, as part of an intervention study investigating caries‐preventive effects of MI delivered to high‐caries‐risk children and their primary caregivers. Methods: Three oral health therapy clinicians trained in MI (counsellors) provided MI to high‐caries‐risk children and their primary caregivers. All MI sessions (n = 34) were audio‐recorded and analysed using the MI Treatment Integrity code 4.2.1. Qualitative analysis of counsellor self‐reflections identified barriers to MI delivery. Results: All counsellors were found to adhere to the MI process and demonstrated fair to good MI proficiency for global scores, with a mean (95% CI) of 3.3 (3.1‐3.4) recorded for technical scores and 3.6 (3.5‐3.8) for relational scores. The mean (95% CI) per cent complex reflections was 23% (19.4‐27.1) and the mean reflection:question ratio was 0.7 (0.6‐0.9). No significant differences were observed between counsellors for MI proficiency. Cultural barriers, environmental distractions, participant dental anxiety and counsellor tendency towards prescriptive advice‐giving were identified by counsellors as hindrances to effective MI. Conclusions: Motivational interviewing is a skill which requires multifaceted training, practice and mentoring to meet accepted proficiency thresholds. Monitoring of MI using a validated tool is essential to ensure delivery as intended and accurately attribute outcomes to the intervention. Dental organizations intending to implement MI for caries prevention should be aware of the demands on time and resources required to deliver proficient MI and monitor fidelity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]