Autistic children to benefit from Wrigley Community Service Grant

A trip to the dentist can be a trying experience for most children, however for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a regular dental check-up presents its own unique challenges. The Happy Little Tooth Co, recipients of a USD$6,000 Community Service Grant from Wrigley Company Foundation and the Australian Dental Association Foundation (ADAF), is aiming to alleviate some of the childrens' oral health challenges.

Grant recipient Dr Wendy Cheung of The Happy Little Tooth Co. said that "About 1 in 100 children, almost 230,000 Australians, have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and studies show these children have significantly poorer oral hygiene and gum health.

"Limited access to dental services for this group and the behavioural difficulties of maintaining oral hygiene have led to high rates of painful emergency treatment; more often than not as a last resort when prevention advice may have helped earlier on," Dr Cheung said.

Drs Wendy Cheung and Vicki Farmer, supported by an experienced team of Dental Therapists from The Happy Little Tooth Co., will present a workshop - Making Things Easier - for parents of children living with autism, providing targeted oral health education. The workshop has been made possible with the grant funds.

"Our team at Little Happy Tooth Co. has been looking after children with ASD for many years and we are passionate about facilitating better oral care for all. Some parents find bringing their children with ASD to the dentist or brushing their teeth particularly challenging. We've designed the Making Things Easier dental information workshop with this is mind, providing practical advice and free visual tools which are proven to assist autistic children when learning new skills," Dr Cheung said.

The workshop tools will also be made accessible in a special App soon to be available for download, which also has the potential for national rollout. Dr Cheung hopes to reach 100 parents through the workshop and will provide further dental care, including a dental examination and cleaning for 20 randomly selected autistic children whose parents' attend the 'Making Things Easier' workshop.

The ADAF and Wrigley Company Foundation Community Service Grant initiatives provide much needed funding to volunteer dentists, dentistry students and teams of dental professionals to help improve the oral health of some of Australia's most disadvantaged communities including indigenous, homeless, special needs, disability, low income and elderly. The grants provide funding to either develop or expand existing community service programs.

Through the 2013 grants program, a total $82,000 has been awarded to 13 grant programs across Australia. Since its introduction in collaboration with ADA Inc. in 2011, the program has already awarded USD$95,000 in funds to grant recipients in 2011 and 2012.

This year, the Wrigley Company Foundation has signed a three-year partnership with the Australian Dental Association Foundation (ADAF). The long-term commitment will provide USD$295,000 in much needed funding to bridge the gap in access to oral care services and dental education throughout Australia.

Mr Andrew Leakey, General Manager of Wrigley Pacific, said: "Our core business is to provide portable, accessible and enjoyable oral care that gives everyone the confidence of a happy, healthy mouth and we are committed to improving Australians' dental health.

"Effective partnership continues to drive the success of the Community Service Grant program, from the alliance between the Wrigley Company Foundation and the Australian Dental Association Foundation, to our collaboration with the hard working dentists and dental student grantees on their grassroots programs.

"We applaud all of the 2013 grant applicants who will put their Principles into Action and make a real difference in the community".

Applications for the 2014 Community Service Grants program will open in April. To keep up-to-date with news about the program and for the full application criteria, visit www.adaf.org.