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Updated: Feb 28, 2026
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Higher Rates of Emergency Oral Health Care Presentations Among Indigenous Australians: A Comparative Public Health
Neeraj Vyas1,2, Simranjit Cheema2, Rachel Scobie3
1Discipline of Oral Surgery, Sydney Dental School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2750, Australia.
Background:
This study compared the reasons for dental presentations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adults at the Nepean Centre for Oral Health, NSW, Australia.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients presenting between 1 July and 31 December 2019. Clinical notes were audited and categorized as either 'emergency' (pain, dental infection, dental trauma, loose teeth or dental implants, bleeding) or 'conservative' (dental check-ups, examinations, prosthodontic, restorative, periodontal, or non-emergency endodontic therapy).
Results:
A total of 4663 patients met the inclusion criteria; 61.6% were female, and 6.4% were identified as Indigenous Australians. Overall, 41.3% of presentations were for emergency dental care. Indigenous Australians were significantly more likely to present for dental emergencies compared with non-Indigenous (58.2% vs. 40.2%; χ2(1, N = 4663) = 53.4, p < 0.00001; OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.64-2.63), and were also more likely to undergo emergency tooth extractions (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Indigenous Australians demonstrated a higher proportion of emergency and oral surgery-related presentations and underwent tooth extractions as the primary treatment compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. These findings suggest a higher burden of oral disease and delayed access to general dental services among Indigenous Australians, highlighting the need for targeted and culturally appropriate public health interventions.
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