FRESH DENTAL VANS ROLL INTO SUNSHINE COAST SCHOOLS WITH NEW LOOK

• Two new school dental vans are arriving at Sunshine Coast Health.
• The vans are wrapped in an eye-catching artwork designed by a local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist, to create a culturally inclusive and welcoming experience for children and their families visiting the mobile clinic.
• The first van has arrived at Mooloolaba State School and a second van to be based in the Noosa region will arrive in the coming weeks.

Sunshine Coast Health is welcoming the arrival of two new vans to its fleet of mobile dental clinics.

They are adding a splash of colour to the fleet, being wrapped in artwork produced by local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist Mandy Draper, to create a welcoming and inclusive space for all children.

The art cleverly represents the region of Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi Country, the community of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the Sunshine Coast Oral Health team.

The Sunshine Coast Oral Health Service provides free dental care for children within the school environment, to ensure convenient and regular access to oral health care.

The teams provide a range of services such as check-ups, cleaning, x-rays, fillings, and extractions.

In the 2022-23 financial year the team provided care to children up to 15 years old in more than 22,000 appointments.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman:
“Our mobile dental vans are important tools in making sure young Queenslanders are receiving oral health care from an early age and helping them develop healthy dental habits into the future.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork will help make visiting the dental vans a more welcoming and approachable experience for all children.

Sunshine Coast Health will use these new vans to ensure dental care is easily accessible.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt:
“This is fantastic news for young Queenslanders in our region and their families.

“Sunshine Coast Health do a fantastic job looking after our community’s health needs, and these vans mean less travel time for families as they come direct to children in school.

“I’m proud to be part of a government that is committed to ensuring children have access to the healthcare they need, when they need it.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Nicklin Robert Skelton:
“It is so important for children to learn positive health routines from a young age and address any dental issues early.

“We know that some children can feel nervous stepping inside the unknown and clinical environment of a dental van, so we hope the bright and fun appearance of these new vans will help reduce some of those nerves.

“School dental vans ensure oral health is easily accessible for students, and this is a significant step in making visiting them an even more positive experience for all.”

Quotes attributable to Sunshine Coast Health Acting Oral Health Service Director Jeremy Coory:
“We welcome the addition of these vans in our fleet of mobile oral health clinics. The vans are an important way for us to encourage uptake of positive oral health routines from a young age and address any dental issues early.”

“The bespoke art piece has been added to the exterior to signal a welcoming and inclusive space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to come in and receive their dental check-ups and any further treatments.”

“We know that some children can feel nervous stepping inside the unknown and clinical environment of a dental van, so we hope the bright and fun appearance of these new vans will help reduce some of those nerves.”

Quotes attributable to Senior Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Sharon Barry:
“The bright and eye-catching artwork has been expertly crafted by local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist Mandy Draper to represent the key areas of Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi Country, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community’s pathway to the Sunshine Coast Oral Health Team.”

“It’s important Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and culture are incorporated into these mobile dental clinics, to ensure children and their families feel they are accessing a welcoming and inclusive space.”

“School dental vans ensure oral health is easily accessible for students, and this is a significant step in making visiting them an even more positive experience for all.”