News & Media

Dentists making a world of difference

Dr Jane McCarthy, Applecross Periododntics (WA) A recent stand out for the Foundation has been the development of our collaboration with the Women in Dentistry (WID) Clinical Volunteering Program,  which is focused on providing women who have experienced the devasting impact of domestic violence with access to dental care.  Dr…

Dentists making a world of difference

Dr. Zara Torre, WA Dental Ellenbook/South Perth Dental Excellence (WA) Dr Zara Torre is a practicing dentist at WA Dental Ellenbrook and South Perth Dental Excellence who started volunteering with the Foundation five years ago at a Homeless Connect Day in Perth. She now volunteers her time through the St.…

Dentists making a world of difference

Dr Jillian Fisher, National Dental Care (QLD) Dr Jillian Fisher is the lead dentist at National Dental Care, Chermside, Queensland. Dr Fisher put her hand up to volunteer with the Foundation in December 2018. As her first experience with volunteering Dr Fisher hosted a Dental Rescue Day at her practice…

Dentists making a world of difference

Dr. Ludhara Hetti, Norwood Village Dental (SA) Having previously volunteered with dental projects in Cambodia and Sri Lanka, Dr. Ludhara Hetti first got involved with the ADHF’s Adopt A Patient program last year. As she explained, “My workplace approached me with the opportunity to volunteer with the Foundation and what…

Dentists making a world of difference

Dr Hitesh Gupta, The Smile Factory (NSW) Although he had assisted with various charitable causes in the past, it was only when Dr Hitesh Gupta volunteered with the Australian Dental Health Foundation that he was able to put his dental skill set in to use to help others. “For many…

Celebrating National Volunteer Week 2019

This National Volunteer Week (20 - 26 May 2019), the ADHF would like to acknowledge all the dentists and practice staff who make a world of difference by volunteering. We applaud your generosity and commitment to helping disadvantaged Australians in need of dental care. Some of the dentists making a…

ADHF kicks off 2019 with another busy quarter

The Australian Dental Health Foundation has released its quarterly report for our volunteer programs from 1 January - 31 March 2019. So, how are we doing? 8 Dental Rescue Days 125 Adopt a Patient appointments 58 Rebuilding Smiles patients received treatment Resulting in over $230,000 of treatment provided by our…

Pacific Smiles Group Limited renews their sponsorship of the Australian Dental Health Foundation

Pacific Smiles Group Ltd (PSG) has recently renewed its sponsorship of the Australian Dental Health Foundation’s pro bono dental programs. As the major industry sponsor of the programs, PSG will continue to provide valuable and essential resources that enable the Foundation to coordinate its Dental Rescue Days, Adopt A Patient…

Straumann provides ongoing support for Rebuilding Smiles®

Straumann have agreed to provide ongoing financial and materials support to the Australian Dental Health Foundation’s Rebuilding Smiles® program in 2019. In 2017 and 2018 Straumann agreed to provide both a donation to the Foundation and to provide support by way of provision of free Straumann equipment to the Foundation…

Make a difference with 2019 Community Service Grants

The Mars Wrigley Foundation and the Australian Dental Health Foundation are offering up to $82,000 USD for as many as 13 volunteer organisations to provide oral care and services to Australian communities in need. Past recipients include Health in Kind, a free mobile dental project working to deliver much-needed dental…

A drop in the bucket will help deliver $5 million of dental care

A major improvement in oral health outcomes for a relatively small investment. That’s the message that the Australian Dental Health Foundation (ADHF) has conveyed to the Federal Government as part of its Federal Budget submission which calls for an increase in government funding for oral health programs for some of…

Play a vital role this White Ribbon Day and beyond in changing lives

White Ribbon Day (Friday 23 November) highlights the ongoing prevalence of domestic and family violence within our communities and the vital role that men and boys play in ending this violence. The aim of the movement of which White Ribbon Day is a major awareness-raising initiative is, according to White…

The ADHF lends support to Beyond the Broncos targeting oral health

The  Beyond  the  Broncos  program  provides  one-on-one mentoring support, encouragement and motivation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in high schools across the Greater Brisbane region and Northern NSW. The aim of the program is to improve school attendance and year 12 attainment rates as well as provide tailored…

Student study grants 2017 recipients announced

The Australian Dental Health Foundation (ADHF) is delighted to announce that it has awarded five study grants to support undergraduate Indigenous oral health therapy students in their studies for 2017. Study grants, each valued at $5,000, were awarded to students across Australia. Holle Shillingsworth, who is studying at Sydney University,…

Different name, same mission

Since its foundation in 2008, the Australian Dental Association Foundation has devoted itself to improving the oral health of disadvantaged Australians, many of whom do not receive the dental care they need because of financial, geographical or social restrictions. In order to better reflect its critically important mission, which attracts…

Rebuilding Smiles program provides free dental treatment to domestic violence victims

The trauma experienced by victims of domestic violence is immeasurable and can leave a lasting impact. Mother of two Griselle, 42, was left with a constant reminder of the abuse she suffered after she lost her front tooth and damaged others as a direct result of domestic violence. The trauma,…

Dentists give victims of family violence something to smile about again

When Colleen got to the clinic it took half an hour before she was able to sit in the chair. She was frozen. The dentist reassured her. He'd seen it all, he said, and nothing could surprise him. Another half an hour passed. Finally, she opened her mouth to let him…

Rebuilding Smiles

“ I had my second dental appointment yesterday and he totally fixed a major tooth! I am so happy, thank you so much I look so much healthier when I smile”  – Grisellle. In recent years, domestic violence has shed its status as a taboo topic, featuring ever more prominently…

Sporting Smiles ‘An Integrated Approach to Oral Health Promotion’

The Australian Dental Health Foundation (ADHF) partnered with Dairy Australia, Sydney Thunder and Colgate-Palmolive to deliver health education sessions to primary-school children across Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Canberra. Sporting Smiles aimed to educate Australian primary school children about the basic fundamentals of dental care and the importance of a…

ADHF visits Oral Health Van

“The ADHF were delighted to have the opportunity to visit the University of Newcastle Oral Health Van on the recent World Oral Health Day. The University of Newcastle was a 2014 recipient of a Wrigley Company Foundation ADHF Community Service Grant to support its Oral Health Van. The Oral Health…

Proud supporter of Indigenous health projects

The Australian Dental Health Foundation (ADHF) is committed to provide funding for dentures as part of its role as a key partner in the NSW Poche Centre for Indigenous Health Dental Technology Project. On 27 January 2015, the Project was launched at Westmead Hospital by the Hon Jai Rowell, NSW Assistant…

Dr Adam Barrett and the ‘Senior Smiles’ oral health program

‘Senior Smiles’ oral health program is a pilot project funded by Medicare Local Central Coast, NSW and managed by the University of Newcastle Oral Health team from the Ourimbah Campus.  The program provides residents in five Residential Aged Care Facilities on the NSW Central Coast with an on-site hygienist who…

Supporting Westmead Hospital Staff’s ‘Wellbeing Fair’

ADHF and ADA in-conjunction with Colgate Palmolive supported Westmead Hospital Staff Wellbeing Fair which was held on Tuesday 23rd September. The Staff Wellbeing program at Westmead Hospital is intended to provide staff and volunteers with opportunities to obtain helpful and practical strategies in managing day to day challenges and their…

ADA and Tresillian Family Care Celebrate Dental Health Week

On Tuesday 5th of August the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and Tresillian Family Care Centre Wollstonecraft joined to celebrate Dental Health Week 2014. This year’s Dental Health Week theme was ‘Babies and Toddlers’ which provided a perfect opportunity to provide educational resources and information to those young mothers who attend…

Wrigley Company Foundation and ADHF 2014 grants

Call for grant applications to help high-risk Australians access dental care Now in its fourth year, the Wrigley Company Foundation in partnership with the Australian Dental Health Foundation (ADHF), is proud to announce that applications for its Community Service Grants to help improve access to dental care to some of Australia’s…

Putting his principles in action through adversity

An outback dentist’s narrow scrape with death only served to reinforce his commitment to vocational work among disadvantaged Indigenous communities. Dr Jilen Patel is lucky to be alive. On 13 August 2013, the Perth-based dentist was 10 km out of Halls Creek, enroute to the remote community of Warmun to…

Tackling the Oral Health gap

Wrigley Company Foundation and ADHF open applications for USD$295,200 in funds for Australian Community Service Grant projects The Wrigley Company Foundation has signed a three year commitment with the Australian Dental Health Foundation (ADHF) to provide USD$295,000 in funding to help build the gap in access to oral care services and…