Partnerships in Oral Health - An inspiring approach to prevention and education

The NSW Dental Therapists 14th Biennial Conference was held on the 19th & 20th October, 2000, at the beautiful Dooralong Valley Resort on the Central Coast. Delegates from NSW and interstate attended the comprehensive two-day program.

The principal sponsor was Colgate, with ESPE as the major sponsor. Several supporting sponsors including: 3M, Vasyli Orthoheal, Dentsply, VOCO, Discus Dental, Halas, Helpful Easy Living Products, Slickers Stickers, Horseley Dental, Neverfail, Siltex, SMINTS, Dooralong Valley Resort, ADA NSW, Samuelson Cases, Wrigley's and Dentevents provided enthusiastic and generous support including the setup of some 16 interesting trade displays.

The underlying theme of the conference, Partnerships in Oral Health was carried throughout the conference. We were entertained by motivational speakers Patricia Cameron Hill and Dr Shayne Yates and inspired by presentations from Dr Hien Ngo, Dr Erin Mahoney and Dr David Bachmayer.

The conference covered a number of topics both clinical and social, including Minimal Intervention and the use of GIC s, Dental Emergencies, Dental Caries in the New Millennium, Oral Health Promotion, Clinical Reasoning, Orthodontics, Aboriginal Health, Vietnamese Oral Health Status, Nutrition, 0-5 Oral Health Strategies, Child Protection Issues and Dental Hygiene for the Special Needs Patient.

A presentation dinner, acknowledging the profession of Dental Therapy and recognising several individuals for their dedication, was a highlight of the event.

The conference was a great success, with delegates gaining new information to utilise in the workplace and beyond, enabling them to return to their profession with renewed enthusiasm.