The Issue

• Good dental health is key to health and wellbeing
• Our dental clinics and equipment from 1965 are worn out
• Modern equipment will not fit or work in our old buildings
• As equipment breaks we are unable to repair or replace it
• We provide emergency and general dental care to 10,000+ children and adults each year, many are from the most marginalised communities who would not otherwise be able to access dental care
• We urgently need funding for new dental facilities

Click here for The Age article "Clinics in west get a kick in the teeth"
(6 May 2011)

How Can I Help?

1. Sign the Petitions

We have developed two petitions to government – a separate one for each house of Parliament. These will help us infl uence the key people – the Premier who is in the lower house (Legislative Assembly) and the Health Minister who is in the upper house (Legislative Council).

It is important that you sign both petitions.

A) Access Petitions online

Petition to the Legislative Assembly of Victoria (Click here)

Petition to the Legislative Council of Victoria (Click here)

• Print each petition
• Ask everyone you know to sign them
• Return signed petitions to Western Region Health Centre by Friday 5th August 2011 (see postal instructions at bottom of the Petition to access free postage)

B) Access Petitions at Western Region Health Centre sites

• Visit one of our sites - Click Here to find the site closest to you
• Sign the petitions
• Ask our staff if you need assistance

2. Write to your local Members of Parliament

A) Send letter by email (Click here) and don’t forget to add your name and address

B) Send letter by post (Click here to open standard letter to local Member)

• Insert the name and address of the local Member/s of Parliament you would like to send it to (the more the better). (Click here for Local Member list)
• Add your name, address, signature and today’s date
• Post

It’d be great if you could send a copy of your letter to us: Western Region Health Centre, Reply Paid 84795, Footscray 3011 (no stamp needed).

3. Stay up to date

• Click here to join our email list and online community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Western Region Health Centre?

Western Region Health Centre (est. 1964) delivers a range of health services including medical, dental, community health, mental health, support services, and group work across the West of Melbourne (Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Wyndham, Hobsons Bay, Melton, and Hume).

What is ‘Save Our Dental Clinics’ about?

Western Region Health Centre has been working for many years to get commitment from State Government to fund a new building to replace our dental clinics at Geelong Road and Paisley Street. We did not receive the $9m we were expecting in this year's State budget.

Is it safe to use the existing dental service?

Yes. Our qualified staff and committed to delivering dental care of a very high standard. Our practices are above Australian Government Standards and are carefully monitored.

The age of the buildings and equipment does not yet make our services unsafe but it does limit the range and type of services we can deliver, and it places uncertainty around how long we can continue to deliver dental services.

If facilities become unsafe, we will need to close our doors.

Where will people go if the service closes?

We will only close the buildings if there is a safety risk to our clients and staff. If we do have to close, our clients will have no choice but to find another service. We will do everything we can to help, but for many the private system is too costly, and waiting times in the public system will become even worse if an additional 10,000 people suddenly need care.

Is dental care really that important?

Yes, oral health is important for overall health and wellbeing. There are strong links between gum disease and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Good oral health is also important for mental health. Smiling is important for connecting with people and taking part in society.

What is needed to fix the dental service?

We need a replacement clinic urgently and we are asking for Government funding to get one running within the next 12 months. We wish to provide the same dental care as other clinics – to guarantee ongoing services, increase the range of services we offer, and improve dental health for all people in the region.

FAQs as pdf

For more information

email: dental@wrhc.com.au

Western Region Health Centre respects your privacy. Information you provide in relation to the Save Our Dental Clinics Campaign will not be used for any other purpose than for what it was given, and your personal information will not be disclosed to third parties without your written consent.