Volunteer Welcome Pack

The ADA Dental Health Foundation (ADA DHF) is a registered Australian charity that coordinates the provision of dental treatment to disadvantaged Australian people genuinely in need of dental care. Our State Coordinators liaise with local registered charities and not-for-profit organisations to identify clients requiring oral care and advice. Our volunteer dentists and their staff donate their time and skills to provide treatment at no cost to these clients in private dental surgeries across Australia

The aim of the Foundation’s volunteer dental programs is to assist clients to access dental health services that they may otherwise not have had ready access to. Access to dental treatment and oral care advice enables patients to improve their dental health, speech, presentation and self-esteem and helps them move forward and achieve their goals.

Please take your time to read over the following information. Once you have read and agreed with the Guidelines, we ask you to complete and return the enclosed forms to your local State Coordinator.

Guidelines for Volunteer Dental Programs

Patients

The ADA DHF accepts referrals to the volunteer dental programs for adults aged between 18-65 years who are being supported by a registered charity or not for profit organisation. They must be in genuine need, have a desire to receive assistance with their oral health and have no ready access to the public dental system.

Clients may be supported by one of the following programs:

• Domestic & Family Violence support/accommodation services
• Drug and/or Alcohol rehabilitation
• Those affected by mental health conditions
• Near homeless or homeless support/accommodation services
• Support services for those from low socioeconomic areas/circumstances

Programs

The ADA DHF coordinates several volunteer programs for patients to access free dental treatment. Our State Coordinators will discuss with you which program is most suitable for your practice prior to allocating patients and arranging appointments.

Treatment provided

The treatment provided to patients will be at the discretion of each volunteer dentist. While there may not be time to complete all required treatment at the initial appointment, the Foundation asks that volunteers provide a comprehensive examination, including X-rays, fillings and extractions, and provide relief from pain or discomfort the patient may be experiencing.

The Foundation has the support of a number of laboratories around Australia, which provide pro bono laboratory services for more complex treatments such as crown and bridge, and dentures. Please speak to your State Coordinator for more information on accessing these services. In some instances, patients may need to access specialist dental services and your State Coordinator can assist with arrangements. Patients and their referring agencies have been advised that no cosmetic treatments will be provided under the program.

Staffing arrangements

It is recommended that all Practice staff read and understand these Guidelines. In general, support staff participate on a voluntary basis. If you require additional staff to assist at a Dental Rescue Day®, please inform your State Coordinator in advance.

We recommend that infection control procedures are monitored and maintained at a high level and in accordance with governing laws and regulations. The ADA DHF liability insurance cover assumes that this is always the case.

Ongoing treatment

It is recommended that all Practice staff read and understand these Guidelines. In general, support staff Following a Dental Rescue Day®, patients may require further treatment. Volunteer dentists are not expected to provide this unless agreed by all parties. The State Coordinator will make every effort to arrange for continued treatment for the patient at another volunteer Practice, if required.

It is recommended that all Practice staff read and understand these Guidelines. In general, support staff In some instances, patients may require specialist dental services. This can be arranged by your State Coordinator once agreed with the Case Manager, patient and dentist.

It is recommended that all Practice staff read and understand these Guidelines. In general, support staff All ongoing treatment provided to patients must be done on a pro bono basis and no form of recompense is to be sought from patients or their support agencies.

Donations of materials

The ADA DHF enjoys the support of several dental supply companies which provide dental materials to our generous volunteers. Your State Coordinator can provide more information about donated materials should you wish to receive them.

Records and reporting

When the appointments are completed, the Foundation asks that you provide treatment notes for all ADA DHF patients to the State Coordinator.

We request that treatment notes and item codes are provided to the State Coordinator promptly within 3-5 working days of an appointment. The information will assist the Foundation to provide detailed reporting on our volunteer programs to the Advisory Board and external Sponsors and Supporters. Your assistance with this is appreciated.

Alternatively, the Foundation uses Praktika for record keeping and your State Coordinator can arrange for your Practice to have access to Praktika to directly input your patient’s treatment details. Praktika is an Australian owned cloud-based practice management tool used widely in Australia and New Zealand. Please contact your State Coordinator for further information and to arrange training.

Issues or concerns on the day

Your State Coordinator will be available on the day of the appointments to address any issues that may arise. Any accidents or incidents that occur at the practice must be reported by way of an Incident Report Form and reported to your State Coordinator as soon as possible. The form is to be used to report all injuries, illnesses and near misses, whether an injury occurred or not. An Incident Report Form can be provided on request.

Forms

At the end of this page, you will find a Registration Form, which you should complete, have signed by an authorised signatory for your organisation and return to the State Coordinator.

To refer your clients to the volunteer dental program, please complete a Referral and Medical History Form with your client and return to the State Coordinator. This form will be made available to registered organisations only and must be filled in digitally, no handwritten or scanned forms can be accepted.