Australia's most modern public dental facility opens in Perth

2/1/02
The State's new $38million Oral Health Centre today accepted the first of 15,000 patients a year expected to benefit from the facility.
Premier Geoff Gallop said the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia - a joint venture between the Government and the University of WA - is the most modern dental facility in the country.
The new three-storey centre brings together all branches of dental education in WA. It replaces the old Perth Dental Hospital and teaching facilities at UWA.
"WA now has the best teaching and research dental facility in the country," Dr Gallop said.
"Not only will our trainee dentists have the absolute best facilities available, but the standard of care for those eligible patients will be of the highest quality."
The new centre will house the dental education and training program of UWA, as well as those of Curtin University of Technology and the Central Metropolitan College of TAFE. It will train dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental clinical assistants and dental technicians - as well as being a focus for research activity.
The new facility has the latest equipment available including state-of-the-art digital radiography, 150 dental chairs, modern infection controls, audio-visual teaching equipment and a medical/dental faculty library for UWA.
The new Oral Health Centre - located at 17 Monash Avenue, Nedlands - adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre - forms part of a comprehensive oral health program worth $44million this financial year.
The multi-million-dollar rejuvenation of metropolitan dental services has also seen the opening of a modern dental clinic in Armadale - part of a system of State Government-funded clinics operating in Victoria Park, Como, Fremantle, North Perth, Swan, Rockingham and Warwick. An additional clinic will also open this year at Morley and the Warwick dental clinic will be expanded.
"People will now be able to access these services closer to their home," Dr Gallop said.
Eligibility for subsidised dental treatment is on the same basis as assessments at the former Perth Dental Hospital.
Premier's office: 9222 9475