Latrobe Valley dental initiative

Access to dental services in Victoria's Gippsland region is about to improve thanks to a new website connecting oral health practitioners look-ing for short-term jobs with public and private dental practices. dentalgaps.com.au is the product of a collaborative effort by the Gippsland Oral Health Consortium.

Led by Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS), the initiative aims to strengthen partnerships between public and private sector dental service providers. The Chief Executive of LCHS, Ben Leigh, who is also the Chairman of the Gippsland Oral Health Consortium, says dentalgaps is an important development for the region.

"Dentalgaps is a fine example of how well groups can work together to find solutions for problems that exist in the community," Mr Leigh said.

Currently, dental waiting times can be as long as two-and-a-half years due to a significant shortfall in the number of oral health professionals willing to work in rural areas.

It is anticipated the new website will assist in addressing this problem by providing effective and co-ordinated communication of short and long-term job vacancies.

The new website will assist with the recruitment and co-ordination of vacant dental positions within Gippsland. It provides a portal linking dental practices in Gippsland with oral health practitioners around Australia and abroad.

Professor Mike Morgan from the Melbourne University School of Dental Science is pleased with the initiative that will this year provide many new opportunities for young graduates to find employment in both public and private dental practices.

"So many of our young graduates will gladly take up the opportunity to work in Gippsland. What better way to start your oral health career than with an opportunity to gain valuable experience in a rural health setting?

"It's an option that will stand them in extremely good stead for the career path they choose later," Professor Morgan said.