Balibó Dental Clinic opens in East Timor

The efforts of a number of people in the Australian dental community have culminated in the opening of a new purpose-built volunteer Dental Clinic in the East Timorese town of Balibó.

Balibo has become a place of special significance to Australia, with Balibó House being the last refuge of five Australian-based journalists - now known as the "Balibó Five" - who were killed by hostile military forces during the Indonesian incursion of East Timor in 1975.

The Victorian Government established the Balibó House Trust in 2002 under the patronage of former Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks. The Trust purchased and refurbished the Balibó House so it could be handed back to the people of the district for community use.

The new dental clinic was opened on August 24, by former President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta in the presence of Balibo Trust officials, benefactors and volunteers, local dignitaries and representatives of the East Timorese Government.

The new dental clinic was completed in the weeks leading up to the opening, thanks to the support of a number of generous Australian benefactors and the efforts of the local community. Attending the opening were visiting Australian dentist and senior project member, Dr David Bladen and Balibo Trust Executive Officer, Terry Bracks from Melbourne.

The Trust has partnered with a number of Melbourne Rotary Clubs and received a very generous donation of two A-dec chairs from Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV), two A-dec dental stools from A-dec and two complete dental handpiece packages from W&H to equip the new clinic.

The new community facilities provided by the Balibo Trust are located near the magnificently restored 300-year-old Portuguese Fort and Fort House at Balibó which provides visitor accommodation to promote tourism and provide employment in the Bobonaro District.

The Balibó Fort Hotel will also provide 4 star accommodation for visiting dentists.

The new Balibo Dental Clinic aims to improve the oral health of the local population by providing access to local dental treatment, community education and prevention programs. There are only five dentists in Timor Leste - four of whom are located some distance away in Dili. There are no dentists located in Balibó and a limited dental service available in the next town of Maliana. Balibo and the surrounding villages have a population of around 15,000.

The two-chair air conditioned Balibó Dental Clinic will be staffed by volunteer dentists from Australia who will be registered with the Dental Board of Australia.

The Balibó Dental Clinic will initially aim to operate for approximately two weeks, four times a year and will be staffed by at least two dentists, a dental nurse and a receptionist providing interpreter service.

As more volunteer dentists join the program from Australia, the clinic will operate more frequently. The Trust is seeking support for this program through financial donations, equipment donations and volunteers who work in the dental community.