Indi Kindi partners with Top End Oral Health Services

As part of Moriarty Foundation’s integrated and holistic model, we are proud to announce Indi Kindi’s partnership with Top End Oral Health Services (TEOHS). This partnership will build on the many years of working together to support oral health outreach programs for children under 5 and their families in Borroloola.

Through our partnership to focus oral health promotion and education activities for families including expectant and new mums, we can expect to achieve:

• Greater oral health literacy for participating families.
• An increase of presentations at oral health appointments and at an earlier age.
• Lower presentations of dental decay, poor oral hygiene and related complications.
• An increase in oral health knowledge, skills and confidence via targeted “Healthy Smiles” training for lndi Kindi Educators.

Indi Kindi has a strong focus on addressing health, mental health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal children, families and the local community. It is through our integrated partnerships with local health providers, health professionals and health programs, that we support:

• Increased physical activity and healthy eating habits.
• Improved mental health as well as social and emotional wellbeing.
• The reduction in the incidences of communicable diseases.

According to the Barhava Report, health outcomes in Borroloola are behind those of many other communities. In the Gulf area where Borroloola is situated, 66 percent of children are classed as vulnerable in two or more domains, compared to 11 percent nationally and 23 percent in the Northern Territory. This significant discrepancy indicates that children in the Gulf area face substantial disadvantages before they even enter the classroom, making it harder for them to learn and to succeed.

When it comes to dental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have consistently higher levels of dental disease. Those most affected are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in socially disadvantaged groups and those living in rural/remote areas.