RAHC places first urban-based Dentist into NT
The Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC) has placed its first urban-based Dentist into an Indigenous community in the Northern Territory.
RAHC was established in late 2008 to attract urban-based doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to work in primary health services for Indigenous people in remote areas of the NT and has only recently expanded its services to include dental provision.
Dr. Lisa Studdert, RAHC’s General Manager says: “The extension of the RAHC services to include recruiting dental health professionals was a direct response to the requests of local communities in the NT.
“We’re making some good inroads and improving our ability to respond to the most urgent calls for support to primary health services. Adding dentists, dental nurses and dental hygiene professionals to the list of skilled workers RAHC can place expands the range of expertise that we can place into the region and strengthens healthcare provision in the area.”
RAHC’s first dental health placement is Dentist, Dr Robert Ogle, who will be on assignment in communities around Alice Springs for 4 weeks. Dr Ogle has had private practices in both Queensland and Canada, and in recent years has been the Director of the Cambodia World Family, a free dental clinic for the disadvantaged in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Dr Ogle first heard about RAHC through newspaper advertising and jumped at the chance to experience working in Indigenous communities.
“I’m looking forward to assisting the full-time dental staff in the clinics and learning more about the health issues facing people in remote communities in the Northern Territory. I’ve been working in a developing country over the past few years so it is important to me to come home to Australia and help improve dental health in our own backyard.”
Requests for dental health staff by remote communities are being made daily to RAHC as word spreads around the NT about the expansion of the service.
In the coming weeks over 10 more dental health professionals are commencing RAHC placements in remote communities. The paid assignments are for short periods of three weeks up to three months enabling dental health professionals to maintain their professional and personal obligations at home while participating in efforts to expand and strengthen oral health services in remote areas.
