KDT Update July/August Trip 2022
We have recently completed our second KDT Kimberley trip for 2022 and are delighted to report that we were able to provide a dental service in the towns of Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing as well as visiting 5 communities detailed below.
The first team for July/August trips started from sunny Broome on Sunday the 24th July
July/August 2022 Teams:
Week 1. John and I met our incoming team on Saturday and after a team briefing we enjoyed a delightful sundowner at Cable Beach with a grazing platter from Pearlers Deli. After an early breakfast and quick pack the team travelled the 7.5 hours across to Halls Creek where we were based for a week and a half. The week was spent chiefly at the Halls Creek District High School with the first day spent screening all children and organizing permission forms. A clinic was set up in one of the classrooms for the rest of the week and many children were treated. The team also made a visit to Menkawum Ngurra Frail Aged on Tuesday after school finished to examine the residents. (Menkawum Ngurra means ‘A good place to camp’). On Thursday evening we visited China Wall and Caroline Pool where we enjoyed snacks, damper made for us on the fire by Kirra, a sausage sizzle and some inspired star spotting. After a busy morning working at the school we shared lunch in the park before the team headed off towards Fitzroy where they would stay overnight before driving back to Broome to cross over with the incoming team and catch their evening flight home.
Dr Jilen Patel, Dr Maleeha Gillani, DA Kirra Moody, Jyoti Arora, final year dental students Masooma Hashimi and Lili Omari, Jan and John.
Week 2. Our second team for the July/August 2022 trip arrived in Broome on Saturday and enjoyed dinner at Matsos with the outgoing team. They left early on Sunday to travel the 7.5 hours across to join us in Halls Creek. The clinic at Halls Creek hospital was busy with patients on all our clinical days until our departure to Fitzroy on Wednesday lunch time. On Monday we also ran a clinic at Yuri Yungi Aboriginal Medical Service (YYMS). On Tuesday a small team set up at Red Hill school to treat children identified from the May visit. After a very busy morning working at the clinic on Wednesday the team drove to Fitzroy, set up camp and enjoyed a delightful birthday dinner for John at the Fitzroy Lodge restaurant. Thursday was a day spent at the Fitzroy District High School screening the children and providing oral health education. On Friday we set up a clinic in the school and treated many children who were identified as being in need and parents happy for us to assist. Late afternoon the team had a drink at the Crossing Inn and a drive out to the original Fitzroy Crossing. John and I waved the team off on Saturday morning to head back to Broome, meet the incoming team and then catch their evening flight home.
Dr Rod Jennings, Dr Ashlee Bence, DA Karen Bowman, RN Sarah Merlino, Tracy Sandercock, final year dental student Bede van Schajik, Jan and John.
Week 3. Our third team for the July/August 2022 trip arrived in Broome on Saturday evening and enjoyed the sights of Broome before heading to Fitzroy Crossing on Sunday to meet us. The team spent Monday working at the Fitzroy school treating many children identified from the previous week. Quite challenging considering it was also school sports day. Tuesday we visited Bayulu School to screen children provide oral health education and to treat the children identified as being in need. On Wednesday we packed up camp and headed to Muludja Community where we set up on the basketball court and screened and treated those in need before driving to Derby and setting up camp in the Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park. Mowanjum Community was a Thursday clinic in a spare office as our usual clinic space, the community hall, was being used for a community meeting about mining and royalties. Community members still found us and we had a busy day. After a half day rest and time spent exploring Derby and enjoying a leisurely brunch at Neaps Bistro we packed up our camp and drove to Willare Roadhouse where we set up camp before heading into Pandanus Park for a busy afternoon clinic. After a relaxing start on Saturday morning we headed back to HQ in Broome in time to unpack and clean gear in readiness for 2023 before heading back to Perth on the evening flight.
Dr Moses Lee, Dr Tim Clair, DA Ruth Warden, Dr Sue Cartwright, Ashleigh Owen, final year dental student Ebony Grigo, Jan and John.
So ended another year providing dental care in the Kimberley. In July/August 2022, KDT provided oral health education and dental services for 408 people. The totals for the two 2022 trips, over six clinical weeks, showed that we assisted 892 people over 903 visits; 892 examinations, 223 extractions, 337 restorations, 55 scale and cleans, 118 fluoride treatments, 949 fissure seals and 8 partial dentures. In all, this represents $106,235.85 worth of free to the community dental care, assistance and advice in July/August and a total of $229,688.75 for the year. Incredible team work!!
As we complete our thirteenth year of KDT, we continue strong professional relationships with our corporate partners. This year ADAWA provided three awards and UWA, through the John Pritchard Memorial Prize, provided a further four awards to assist seven final year students, Jack Hawkesford, Ziedri Rasmussen, Anooshree Katwe, Massoma Hashimi, Lil Omari, Bede van Schaijik, Ebony Grigo to join us in 2022. We have now had 52 final year dental students join our Kimberley teams since 2010.
Dental Health Services, continues their support with the provision of materials and use of their clinics in Balgo Hills and Halls Creek, WACHS with transporting our toothbrushing supplies and educational booklets. Support remains strong from the International College of Dentists (ICD), Academy of Dentists International (ADI), DentiCare, Colgate, SDI Limited, OHCWA and the Office of the Chief Dental Officer, through National Partnership Grants.
A very special thank you to our Foundation partners, the McCusker Charitable Foundation, Lotterywest, CBA, Dental Health Services, the Rotary Clubs of Perth and Heirrison, Maven Group, for their incredible support. Thank you also to the Perth Rotary Club for their support and the young Rotaract members for happily packing our toothbrushes into classroom ready packs.
KDT teams continue to engage very effectively with remote communities, providing invaluable dental services in a friendly and happy team environment, often in open air clinics.
Evidence of the effectiveness of the tooth brushing and toothpaste program, Strong Teeth for Kimberley Kids, remains strong and clear in our treatment profile towards prevention. Trish Pepper in Broome continues to administer the program through her vast network of teachers and health workers. To supplement this, we have always and continue to supply all patient’s households with toothbrushes and tooth paste for all the occupants of their house and always provide and show their relevant problem or our concerns diagrammatically using our [provided], Strong Teeth, Strong Body, Strong Mind, booklet.
John and I always say we can never thank enough our fabulous volunteers, sponsors and supporters without whom these results could not be achieved.
View the photos from this trip and follow our 2022 travels and adventures on the Craig the Croc Facebook page
Jan and John Owen
Kimberley Dental Team
Kimberley Dental Team