Exploring Culturally Safe Oral Health Services for a Regional Aboriginal Community in Victoria

Area of Science:

• Indigenous Health
• Oral Health Equity
• Cultural Safety in Healthcare

Background:

• National policies aim to improve Culturally Safe dental care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
• Understanding and implementation of Culturally Safe dental care remain limited.
• This study explores Culturally Safe oral health care with Aboriginal people in regional Victoria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gain a deeper understanding of Culturally Safe oral health care.
• To collaborate with Aboriginal communities in regional Victoria.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for effective implementation.

Main Methods:

• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach utilized.
• Yarning groups conducted with 40 Aboriginal community members in regional Victoria.
• Thematic analysis using constructivist grounded theory applied to transcribed discussions.

Main Results:

• 13 themes identified across Holistic care, Power, Access to services, and Trust.
• Significant barriers include limited oral health funding, deficit narratives, and a shortage of Aboriginal dental professionals.
• Findings highlight structural issues impacting Culturally Safe oral health care delivery.

Conclusions:

• Culturally Safe oral health care is a dynamic, relational practice embedded in Aboriginal worldviews.
• Achieving Culturally Safe care requires structural reform, trust-based relationships, and empowering communication.
• Findings will inform future policy, education, and service delivery grounded in Aboriginal knowledge systems.