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

National policies have been introduced to promote the delivery of Culturally Safe dental care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. However, the understanding of what constitutes Culturally Safe dental care and how it can be effectively implemented into clinical practice, remains limited. This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of Culturally Safe oral health care through collaboration with Aboriginal people residing in regional Victoria.

A Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach was utilised between the study team and a Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service to design the study and develop yarning prompts. Following engagement, 40 individuals from the Victorian Aboriginal community participated in yarning groups that were audio recorded. Discussions were guided by a researcher who, through clinical work, had community familiarity. Following transcription and de-identification, the data were thematically analysed utilising a constructivist grounded theory approach.

The data analysis revealed 13 themes that were categorised according to Ramsden's foundational work with Cultural Safety domains: Holistic care (physical, mental, social, spiritual), power (clinical interactions, agency, overseas-trained practitioners, vulnerable space and sense of belonging), access to services (cost and time) and trust (trust building and historical distrust). These themes discuss significant barriers to achieving Culturally Safe oral health care for Aboriginal Australians in regional Victoria. These are influenced by structural issues like limited oral health funding, deficit narratives and a limited Aboriginal dental workforce.

Culturally Safe oral health care is a dynamic, relational practice that is embedded in Aboriginal worldviews. Achieving it requires structural reform, trust-based relationships and communication that empowers to ensure oral health is addressed holistically. These findings will help inform future policy, education and service delivery initiatives grounded in Aboriginal knowledge systems.