Dental service gets temporary fill-in

The gaping hole in Newman’s dental services looks to be filled, with a private dentist permanently setting up shop and a public dentist operating for short period from July.

The town’s public dental health services officer resigned in February and since then Newman residents were forced to travel to other towns at their own expense to seek dental care, while dental therapists treated enrolled school children from early March.

A Dental Health Services spokesperson said recruitment efforts were continuing within Australia and overseas for a fulltime public dental officer for the Newman General Dental Clinic.

“There is a recognised national and international shortage of dentists,” the delegate said.

“In the interim, a relief public dental officer will be in Newman for three months from July 11, 2011.”

The public dentist would provide subsidised dental care and care to people who live in the surrounding Aboriginal communities. A recently finalised agreement with the private dentist to start practice in Newman would provide dental care to patients not eligible for public dental care.

“When there is no public dentist in Newman, he will provide subsidised dental care to eligible patients,” the dental services spokesperson said.

East Pilbara Shire chief executive Allan Cooper said the provision of dental services had been on and off for some time. “There’s been no continuity of service or reliable service,” he said.

Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Jon Ford welcomed the announcement.

“It is very clear the community is outraged at the lack of dental services in town,” he said.

Pilbara MP Tom Stephens said while this was welcome news, Newman residents required permanent access to a public dentist, rather than for just three months.