300 people from 10 Italian social clubs around Melbourne are participating in a study by researchers from the CRC for Oral Health Science which is aiming to improve the dental health of migrant older adults in Melbourne by using existing community networks.
As part of the project, the club members have each had a dental examination, and some have taken part in weekly group discussions about oral health. The topics of discussion have included oral diseases and conditions such as dental decay and gum disease, as well as looking after natural teeth and dentures. The discussions have been conducted in Italian during the clubs' usual meeting times.
The clubs have been divided into two groups, one group participating in the weekly group discussions on oral health and the other not. At the completion of five discussion sessions, the participants will undertake a follow-up dental examination to compare the oral health status and knowledge of the two groups.
According to project leader Dr Rodrigo Mariņo, the community-based approach will provide a new model for meeting the needs of older people, in particular those from culturally diverse backgrounds.
The Italian Older Persons Oral Health Project is being run by the Cooperative Research Centre for Oral Health Science in collaboration with Dental Health Services Victoria.
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Dr Elmira Habibi with project workers and a member of the Coburg Italian Senior Citizens Club. |
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