Huge milestone for Early Years Partnership Dental Health Project

A pilot project bringing vital dental screening and preventative treatment to kids in WA’s Central Great Southern has reached a major milestone, with more than 500 children treated.

The Early Years Partnership (EYP) Dental Health Project is a specialist dental outreach project delivering services in early childhood centres, playgroups, kindergartens and community events across Broomehill, Gnowangerup, Katanning, Kojonup, and Tambellup.

Delivered in partnership with WA Country Heath Service, this place-based model of care is reaching children where they live, learn and play, relieving the need for families to travel to attend appointments.

With local EYP coordination and funding from the Minderoo Foundation and Rural Health West, the project has reached 524 children aged four-and-under since its launch in 2023—approximately 85 per cent of the eligible population.

The Dental Team—comprising a visiting specialist paediatric dentist and four final-year dental students from The University of WA—has made eight visits to the region, improving oral health outcomes while providing students with invaluable experience in rural practice.

Of the twelve dental students who participated in 2023, three have since chosen to return to regional WA to begin their careers.

In addition to the outreach service, WA Country Health Service Great Southern, working closely with the EYP, has partnered with Perth Children’s Hospital to establish a paediatric dental surgical service at Katanning Health Service.

Since September 2023, 72 children have received timely surgical care locally, eliminating the need for long-distance travel and reducing delays in treatment.

As part of the project, health workers have also been helping vulnerable families with Medicare registration, enabling access to essential services, and empowering them to navigate the health system.

Jo Webb, Co-Chair of the Central Great Southern EYP Local Working Party, said specialist paediatric dentist presentations at local Rotary and Apex meetings had prompted grandparents to look at their grandchildren’s teeth and promote the dental visits to their families.

“We’ve received some wonderful feedback from local families, which is testament to the collaborative effort that has gone into creating a service that meets the unique needs of this community,” Ms Webb said.

The Dental Health Project is contributing to broader system reform, with insights and evaluation data being shared with the Smiling Starts Early Childhood Dental Program and Dental Health Services.

In September, the Dental Health Project was named a finalist in the Rural and Remote Health Care category at the 2025 WA Health Excellence Awards.

The EYP is a 10-year collaboration between the WA departments of Health, Communities, and Education, as well as the Australian Government, and Minderoo Foundation.