Sydney dentists bite into long waiting lists

Twenty caring dentists around Sydney have banded together to help young Australians on long waiting lists to keep their teeth.

A program in New South Wales now known as the Dental Rescue Squad was set up by eastern suburbs dentist, Dr David Digges (pictured) and his colleagues in November last year to help the under-privileged and provide free dental care.

After the success of the trial program last year where ten dentists treated over 120 patients in two days, this team of volunteer dentists and their staff who have given up time and facilities, doubled in numbers and have this month just completed another successful weekend of dentistry.

The free dental days are targeted at ages between 5 years and 40 years. The primary intention is to get patients out of pain and back into good health and functionality and further to lift their self esteem with the intention of getting them back into the community and the work force.

Having contributed over $300,000 worth of dentistry to the community to around four hundred needy patients in the last seven months, Dr Digges, the New South Wales Chairman of the National Dental Foundation (a non-profit charitable organization and the other dentists around Sydney involved in the Dental Rescue Squad have announced the next free dental days are to be held on Friday November 9 and Saturday November 10, 2007.

The dental squad is appealing to more dentists around New South Wales and dental laboratories and companies to help sustain the program.