Our Inspiration
KDT in the Kimberley
Kimberley Dental Team Ltd was founded by Jan and John Owen in May 2009 as a result of their experience in Halls Creek.
In May 2009, Dr. John Owen accompanied his wife Jan, dental nurse and dental health educator in her earlier career, to Halls Creek. The visit occurred because of Jan’s participation in the choir Madjitil Moorna: Singers of Aboriginal songs, who had been invited by an Aboriginal school teacher, Doreen Green, to sing with the children of the Halls Creek District High School. The school welcomed their dental expertise as they had been without a dental therapy service for a considerable time and many children suffered dental disease and pain. This afforded the opportunity for Jan and John to provide dental screening and dental health education (DHE) to the local school children during the week of the choir visit.
With their increasing awareness of the inequality of dental health care compared to that of metropolitan Perth, Jan and John committed to the development of a volunteer team of dental health personnel, the Kimberley Dental Team (KDT), to enhance current services and improve dental health literacy. The model used was initially inspired by the Filling the Gap volunteer program operating in North Queensland.
KDT Southern
* Due to Covid KDT Southern sessions have been discontinued
Kimberley Dental Team’s compassion and commitment to help those disadvantaged by lack of dental services has given rise to KDT Southern.
Between Kimberley trips KDT Southern and teams of KDT volunteers deliver pioneering clinical and oral health education to people disadvantaged by barriers to dental care including homeless adults, families and young people; Forgotten Australians (those suffering from institutional care as a child); and people living in mental health hostels.
We welcome all involvement; either in the provision of health service during our visits to the Kimberley and KDT Southern visits: or support and assistance in management, IT and planning offsite, donation of equipment, materials and DHE supplies such as toothbrushes, accommodation and transport.
Major Sponsors
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