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APPENDIXdeveloped [19], including dentist visits on a ‘flyin-fly-outbasis’, and volunteer dental programsdelivered in partnership with ACCHSs, such asthe ‘Filling the Gap’ Indigenous Dental Program[77]. Increased use of mobile van clinics is alsosupported [19].Part 2: Dental volunteering inIndigenous communitiesIn 2006, 34 per cent of the Australian populationaged 18 years and over participated involuntary work. Thirty per cent of these hadbeen volunteering for five years or less (anindicator of whether the volunteer pool is beingrefreshed). Women volunteered more oftenthan men did (36 % compared to 32%), and thisheld true amongst those whose volunteeringinvolvement was in a health organisation.Amongst employed people, the volunteering ratefor managers/administrators and professionalswas high (46%).Helping others or the community was theprimary motivation to volunteer (57%); butvolunteers also wanted to help themselves. Fortyfour percent reported ‘personal satisfaction’and 36 per cent reported ‘to do somethingworthwhile’ as motivators. Learning newskills and gaining work experience was alsoprominent (11%). Fifty eight per cent incurredexpenses, with less than a quarter (23%)reporting reimbursement. Almost two-thirds ofthose becoming involved for the first time did sothrough word of mouth, either by being asked(35%), or because they knew someone involved(29%). Only five per cent were recruited throughthe media [25].People aged 35-44 years were most likely tovolunteer (43%), including many with dependentchildren [25]. Young people typically wantedto engage over a shorter term focusedon particular projects that provided skillsdevelopment or as a way to involve themselvesin a cause. Older people also sought shorterengagement because they wanted to combinepart-time work, leisure, travel and mindinggrandchildren as well as community work [78].Literature regarding volunteer organisationsreports that best practice in the managementof volunteers involves a systems approach totheir management; compliance with standardsto ensure that volunteer rights are protected;that the volunteer’s role is explicit; and thatwork environments are safe and healthy [24].These include the “purchase of public liabilityand personal accident insurance for volunteers,the maintenance and periodic review of writtenvolunteer policies and, appointing managers ofvolunteers” [79].A key finding in a recent national survey wasthe affirmation by volunteers of the need forclear conceptualisation and communicationof roles and responsibilities of volunteers bythe organisation, including the nature of thetime commitment involved and the attributesrequired. The research also suggests thatorganisations communicate their processes andpolicies actively to volunteers, so that volunteersbenefit from them [79].With regard to dental volunteering programsthe Australian Dental Association (ADA) reportsthat projects should be efficient, sustainable,integrated and accepted by host communities.They recommend [15]:“Projects should begin with the objective ofmaking themselves redundant in a particulararea rather than creating a dependency. Thetraining, enabling and status-raising of localworkers and the reduction of the burden ofdisease should be the goal of any project.”In terms of sustainability, 97 per cent of nationalvolunteer organizations surveyed rate volunteerrecruitment as an issue of importance to theirorganisation [79]; with findings suggestingthat well formulated job descriptions promotevolunteer recruitment and retention, “becausevolunteers can assess at the outset, the natureand volume of the volunteer work involved”.Recruitment and retention of volunteers isalso facilitated by the “creation of enjoyableand meaningful volunteer roles”. It also foundthat ninety percent of volunteer-involvingorganizations identified “managing the73Filling the Gap
APPENDIXrelationships between paid and volunteer staff asan important issue for their organization [79].Research shows that Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islanders actually engage in voluntarywork at a higher rate than all Australians, butmuch of this work occurs outside the frameworkof volunteering through an organization[80]. Recommended strategies for involvingIndigenous people in organisational volunteeringinclude:• ‘word of mouth’ as a proven way of creatingawareness that may lead to recruitment• clear information about the volunteerprogram• due the historical legacy of exclusion,Indigenous people be invited to participate• program information targeted to anIndigenous audience• young people are more likely to participate ifthere are clear benefits and the commitmentis relatively short; and• a specific engagement strategy to ensurethat the volunteer program is inclusive [80].ConclusionThe literature surveyed in this review revealsa complex web of factors impacting on thedelivery of dental and oral services to Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander people and theiruptake. Whilst the nature of many of the barriersare well described, their impacts vary betweenremote and non-remote areas [28]. Factorsidentified as enabling the provision of dentalservices require adapting to local circumstances,monitoring and evaluation.It is suggested that improvements in oral healthoutcomes will only occur when there is accessto affordable services, appropriate oral healtheducation, and prevention programs – includingfluoride supplementation and interventionstargeted at a population level [39]. For equityto be achieved, two categories of political andpolicy impediments in need of reform have beenidentified:• Internal barriers: e.g., reluctance to formeffective partnerships between the privateand public sectors• External barriers: e.g., communitycommitment, legislative constraints, andgovernment inaction [39].The need for substantive acknowledgement ofthe population health importance of oral health,and the capacity of dental care in improvingpeople’s well-being, is evident throughoutthe literature surveyed [39]. In deliveringimproved care, the imperative for oral healthinitiatives that are targeted and implementedin accordance with Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander best practice cannot be ignored [33].74Word of Mouth
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WORD OF MOUTH:Evaluation of the ‘
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Contents‘Filling the Gap’ Indig
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Foreword‘Filling the Gap’ began
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Word of MouthMethodA mixed methods
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Word of MouthPart C: Perceptions of
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Word of MouthThe ongoing improvemen
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Authors’ noteAll italicised quote
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Filling the GapThe Oral Health Care
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Filling the GapThe dental volunteer
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Word of Mouth20both acute and preve
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Page 34 and 35: Part A: The Who and the WhatA multi
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Page 39 and 40: Word of Mouthvolunteer dentists in
Page 41 and 42: Word of Mouththe program and freque
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Page 47 and 48: Word of Mouthinstitution in Austral
Page 49 and 50: Word of MouthGiven that Medicare do
Page 51 and 52: Word of MouthThis respect and admir
Page 53 and 54: Word of Mouthwhen there have been t
Page 55 and 56: Word of Mouth48spending time in the
Page 57 and 58: Word of Mouth‘What’s the driver
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Page 71 and 72: APPENDIX64deep set and the extra do
Page 73 and 74: APPENDIX66Aboriginal and Torres Str
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Page 97 and 98: APPENDIX• Delivering a holistic a
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