Objectives: This cross-sectional, retrospective study investigates dental development and skeletal maturation in a sample of New Zealand children and adolescents of Polynesian descent. The aim was to determine the dental age and skeletal maturation in New Zealand Polynesian children and adolescents (NZPCA), and determine if they are developmentally advanced, dentally and skeletally, compared to New...

How many of the government’s health policies have been implemented? Angela Beaton and Lesley Russell look at the record WHILE the Rudd Government has delivered on quite a few of its pre-election commitments, obesity and dental health are two of the stand-out issues yet to be addressed in any depth. Australia is one of the...

This report provides information on the oral health impacts experienced by Australian children during the period 2004-06. It investigates differences in parent-reported toothache, eating difficulties and poor oral health perception between children with different dental visiting patterns and treatment needs. Image: Monkeyc/ Flickr

Oral health is fundamental to overall health, wellbeing and quality of life. A healthy mouth enables people to eat, speak and socialise without pain, discomfort or embarrassment. The impact of oral disease on people’s everyday lives is subtle and pervasive, influencing eating, sleeping, work and social roles. The prevalence and recurrences of these impacts constitute...

How many dentists do we need in Australia to meet the future demand for dental visits and enable people to maintain good dental health? This report provides estimates and projections of demand and supply of dental visits, assessing the impact of changes in policy direction or social and professional trends. A range of scenarios are...