"Dental as Anything" Inner South Community Health Service Dental Outreach to People with a Mental Illness

Abstract

This article provides an overview of a unique way to respond to the complex oral health needs of people with a mental illness. People with a psychiatric disability, especially those of low income and insecure housing, are at high risk of developing oral disease, due to issues associated with mental illness, poverty and the side-effects of psychotropic medication. The 'Dental as Anything' program is a collaborative partnership between the mental health, dental and administration teams of the Inner South Community Health Service (ISCHS) in Melbourne. It provides a flexible program incorporating engagement, clinical care, education and support in response to client needs. Utilising a health promotion framework and an assertive outreach model, it accesses people who traditionally do not approach mainstream services. The program manages to "reach the unreachable".