Australian Dental Outreach (ADO) is an initiative that was created by our dentists. Our mission is to “Positively Transform Dentistry in Australia” – we feel strongly about doing this for less fortunate communities too.
For years our dentists have been rewarded by the growth and experience that volunteering provides. Together, we have assisted communities in regional and rural Australia as well as the following third-world countries: Guatemala, Nepal, Cambodia, Columbia and The Philippines.
If you have ever travelled to a third world country, you would immediately recognise that the way of life is quite different. On the whole, dentists are trained less comprehensively and the local health care system lacks a lot of elements that our Sunshine Coast facilities provide.
ADO was established in 2019. It aims to address two of the main reasons for a community’s sub-optimal oral health. The first is access. ADO is a not-for-profit program and provides free dental care. It continues to help those that cannot afford to pay for their own dental treatment. Sometimes, the funds raised by are able to even assist the transit of patients to and from their dental appointment! The second way ADO helps is centred around education. This two-pronged approach educates the patient as well as the health care provider! A lot of the patients that are treated in ADO’s program suffer from severe pain. It is not uncommon for this pain to have been present for so many years that the patient has forgotten its origin. It is a wonderful feeling to teach and treat those in such dire need.
Currently our dentist’s travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia every year. Some members of Cambodia’s community are of the belief that dental pain is a regular part of life. ADO’s mission in Phnom Penh is summaries quite nicely by the latter half this famous proverb
“give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”
During ADO philanthropy trip hundreds of patients are treated. Our dentists work with local dentists, junior dentists and dental students. A major role that our dentist’s play is the mentorship of these locals. By teaching those who provide routine care better techniques, we believe we are making an even greater difference!
If you would like to know more about our philanthropy project – Avenue Dental Outreach, please click the following link.
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