Collaboration leads to culturally safe oral health care

A new collaborative project has highlighted the importance of accessible and culturally safe health care for First Nations people.

Members of the University of Adelaide’s AKction (Aboriginal Kidney Care Together—Improving Outcomes Now) team worked with TAFE SA dental hygiene students and educators including Kelly Clemente to co-design strategies to increase oral health care information and services for AKction’s Kidney Warriors (First Nations People living with kidney disease).

Results from the project, which was also supported by Central Adelaide and Northern Adelaide Local Health Networks, were published in BMC Oral Health.

The University of Adelaide’s Nursing School Professor Janet Kelly and Margie Steffens OAM, Oral Health Advocacy for Vulnerable and Marginalized Communities with the Adelaide Dental School, co-led this project.

“All too often people experiencing significant challenges are positioned as recipients of care with few decision-making opportunities within a health system that is governed by top-down polices and biomedical concepts and practices,” said Professor Kelly.

“This project sought to address this inequity and co-design more responsive oral health care by recognizing Kidney Warriors as knowledgeable recipients of care and privileging their voices and priorities.”

For those in remote or regional areas, access to oral health care is limited, which creates additional difficulties for those with kidney issues.

Through the project, TAFE SA students visited Kanggawodli Aboriginal Hostel, a culturally safe accommodation service available to Aboriginal consumers who live more than 100km from Adelaide.

Three dialysis chairs have been installed at Kanggawodli, enabling Kidney Warriors to receive dialysis in a more culturally supportive environment.

“Accessing oral health care is often the one thing preventing Kidney Warriors from being on the kidney transplantation waitlist, and so accessing oral health care is so vitally important,” said Professor Kelly.

“Good oral health is required for someone to become eligible for kidney transplantation, due to the increased risk of infection if there are dental problems post transplantation.”

Students had two clinical placements at Kanggawodli, with 10 of the 11 saying they felt more aware and comfortable in providing culturally safe care.

“This is preparing future health professionals to be better practitioners,” said Steffens OAM.

“If we go to the community, rather than expecting them to navigate their way to oral health care, we are more likely to get better attendance.

“Enthusiastic Aboriginal health staff became involved in the project as well, and we saw the benefits continue after the student visits.”

Steffens OAM is now working with language translators to create videos and resources in Aboriginal languages, further increasing access and equity.