KDT Update May Trip 2023 We have not long returned from an excellent 4-week KDT May Kimberley trip. Preparations are now well in hand for our return to the region on the 22nd July for one week.
May 2023 Teams:
Week 1. Our first team for 2023 came in on Saturday full of excitement to be in the Kimberley and to start this adventure. A team briefing was followed by a visit to the shops to stock up and then a sunset picnic on Cable Beach. After a smooth and quick pack we set off on our journey on Sunday morning to Fitzroy with our three KDT vehicles and accommodation van. It was with great relief that we navigated the new temporary crossing across the mighty Martuwarra (Fitzroy) river and settled in at Fitzroy Lodge. On Monday the team travelled to Bayulu School to provide screenings and treatment where possible and needed. Tuesday morning we packed up camp and went to Muludja community school where we set up on the basketball court. Incredibly this community was under flood in January but remarkable work has been done to return life to normal. Once we finished treatment at the school the convoy set off for 3 hrs to the east to Halls Creek arriving in the early evening. Wednesday to Friday were spent at the Halls Creek District High School where we screened all children and then set up clinic in a disused classroom. The team also made a visit to Menkawum Ngurra frail aged to provide dental checks for the residents. Our final night was spent enjoying a sausage sizzle and the wonderful Kimberley sky at Caroline Pool.
Dr Jilen Patel, Dr Simon Shanahan, DA Ranae Russo, Jyoti Arora, final year dental students Benny Sherrif and Lilly Lui, Jan and John.
Week 2. Week 1 team set off for Kununurra on Saturday after breakfast and those of us remaining in Halls Creek spent the weekend restocking and finishing paperwork. Due to flight delays the incoming team arrived quite late on Sunday evening. On Monday half the team spent a busy day at the Halls Creek hospital clinic and the rest screened children at Red Hill School and then set off for Ringer Soak to stay overnight and work Tuesday. However, when arriving in the community we were faced with a medical incident which we attended as there were no medical staff. Unfortunately the person involved passed away and we made the decision to drive back to Halls Creek rather than stay in the community where there was so much distress. We navigated the 2 ½ hr drive in the dark arriving safely at 8.30pm. The rest of the week kept us busy with a return to Red Hill school on Wednesday to treat children screened on Monday. The whole team to Yiyili Community on Thursday. Many adults and children were treated and it was delightful to be back in this community which was the first community we visited back in 2009. Friday night was spent enjoying snacks and a sausage sizzle at Caroline Pool.
Dr Jilen Patel, Dr Moses Lee, DA Ranae Russo, David Owen, Sue Worsley, final year dental students Ben Lundberg and Chris Lee, Jan and John.
Week 3. The outgoing team set off early to Kununurra on Saturday in order to meet the incoming flight and hand over the vehicles to our week 3 team who then drove to Halls Creek that afternoon. Sunday was a leisurely day and involved some shopping and visiting local sights such as China Wall and the lookout. Monday morning was spent at the hospital clinic and then we set off after lunch to Warmun community where we worked Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ngalangangpum school where we screened the children and treated those in need along with many community members. Most of the team drove back to Halls Creek on Wednesday afternoon and worked at the Halls Creek Hospital clinic for the rest of the week. On Thursday a small team visited Frog Hollow, Purnululu school to screen and then treat children identified as needing care and adult community members in need. On Friday a small team worked at the YYMS clinic. An earlyish finish meant that we could enjoy a delicious sundowner at Caroline Pool with a sausage sizzle and delicious damper cooked for us by Kirra.
Dr Tim Clair, Dr Ashlee Bence, DA Mylita Levings, DA Kirra Moody, Ashleigh Owen, final year dental students Amy Zhang and Breeanna Reynolds, Jan and John.
Week 4. Once again the team departed early on the Saturday to meet the incoming team who then stayed the night in Kununurra before driving down to Halls Creek on Sunday. Following an overnight stay in Halls Creek we headed south on the Tanami Road arriving in Billiluna in time to screen all of the children at Kururrungku before school finished. We then set up a clinic at the Billiluna medical clinic seeing several community members. We also worked at the clinic on Tuesday and school staff brought the children identified as being in need for treatment as well as many who were absent when we screened. As well as treating children we saw many adults before packing up and driving a further 108 km south to Balgo late that afternoon. On Wednesday and Thursday a team set up and had a busy session at the Balgo clinic and the other team examined children at Luurnpa school and set up a clinic to treat those in need. On Friday one team returned to the Balgo clinic and the other travelled across to Mulan on the edge of Lake Gregory to screen children at the school and run a busy session at the clinic before driving back to Balgo. On Saturday we packed up and drove the 540 km to Fitzroy Crossing where we stayed overnight and enjoyed an end of trip celebratory dinner at the Lodge. We crossed the new 2 lane temporary crossing on Saturday morning and after a chicko roll fest at Willare Roadhouse we arrived back in Broome early afternoon in time to repack for the July trip before the team flew out in the evening.
Dr John Hearne, Dr Greg Celine, DA Ruth Warden, DA Karen Bowman, Tracy Sandercock, final year dental student Joshua Ding, Jan and John.
Our visits to Halls Creek and East Kimberley communities were very well received. 644 people. As well as examination, oral hygiene instruction and dietery advice 101 topical fluoride applications, 705 fissure sealants, 155 extractions, 228 restorations, 66 scale and clean, 8 radiographs, 629 education units and 136 other – including 8 partial dentures. In all $198,983.40 of dental services were provided.
Thank you as always to our incredible current and past corporate sponsors, Maven Dental Group, Denticare, International College of Dentists, SDI, Colgate, CBA Employees Community Grants, the Office of the Chief Dental Officer, the Mc Cusker Charitable Foundation, the Academy of Dentistry International, the Rotary Clubs of Perth, Perth City East and Heirrison for their ongoing support, the young Rotaracts for packing our toothbrushes into classroom ready packs.
Thank you to the Australian Dental Association (WA Branch), for their ongoing support of KDT in general and especially for awarding Grants for final year dental students through the University of WA. These Remote Area Student Scholarships greatly assist with their remote placement costs. The John Prichard Memorial Prizes were awarded to four final year DMD dental students. This along with ADA support allows us to mentor and support seven students this year.
KDT teams continue to engage with remote communities, providing invaluable dental services in a friendly and happy team environment. Volunteers express the pleasure they feel in seeing the difference made by the education program and being able to relieve chronic pain for people who have been suffering.
We are very happy to report that the Team has worked hard and completed the requirements for our 2023 Grant through the Office of the Chief Dental Officer.
Thank you to our fabulous volunteers and supporters without whom these results could not have been achieved over the past fifteen years.
View the photos from this trip and follow our 2023 travels and adventures on the Craig the Croc Facebook page
Dr Jilen Patel, Dr Simon Shanahan, DA Ranae Russo, Jyoti Arora, final year dental students Benny Sherrif and Lilly Lui, Jan and John.
Week 2. Week 1 team set off for Kununurra on Saturday after breakfast and those of us remaining in Halls Creek spent the weekend restocking and finishing paperwork. Due to flight delays the incoming team arrived quite late on Sunday evening. On Monday half the team spent a busy day at the Halls Creek hospital clinic and the rest screened children at Red Hill School and then set off for Ringer Soak to stay overnight and work Tuesday. However, when arriving in the community we were faced with a medical incident which we attended as there were no medical staff. Unfortunately the person involved passed away and we made the decision to drive back to Halls Creek rather than stay in the community where there was so much distress. We navigated the 2 ½ hr drive in the dark arriving safely at 8.30pm. The rest of the week kept us busy with a return to Red Hill school on Wednesday to treat children screened on Monday. The whole team to Yiyili Community on Thursday. Many adults and children were treated and it was delightful to be back in this community which was the first community we visited back in 2009. Friday night was spent enjoying snacks and a sausage sizzle at Caroline Pool.
Dr Jilen Patel, Dr Moses Lee, DA Ranae Russo, David Owen, Sue Worsley, final year dental students Ben Lundberg and Chris Lee, Jan and John.
Week 3. The outgoing team set off early to Kununurra on Saturday in order to meet the incoming flight and hand over the vehicles to our week 3 team who then drove to Halls Creek that afternoon. Sunday was a leisurely day and involved some shopping and visiting local sights such as China Wall and the lookout. Monday morning was spent at the hospital clinic and then we set off after lunch to Warmun community where we worked Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ngalangangpum school where we screened the children and treated those in need along with many community members. Most of the team drove back to Halls Creek on Wednesday afternoon and worked at the Halls Creek Hospital clinic for the rest of the week. On Thursday a small team visited Frog Hollow, Purnululu school to screen and then treat children identified as needing care and adult community members in need. On Friday a small team worked at the YYMS clinic. An earlyish finish meant that we could enjoy a delicious sundowner at Caroline Pool with a sausage sizzle and delicious damper cooked for us by Kirra.
Dr Tim Clair, Dr Ashlee Bence, DA Mylita Levings, DA Kirra Moody, Ashleigh Owen, final year dental students Amy Zhang and Breeanna Reynolds, Jan and John.
Week 4. Once again the team departed early on the Saturday to meet the incoming team who then stayed the night in Kununurra before driving down to Halls Creek on Sunday. Following an overnight stay in Halls Creek we headed south on the Tanami Road arriving in Billiluna in time to screen all of the children at Kururrungku before school finished. We then set up a clinic at the Billiluna medical clinic seeing several community members. We also worked at the clinic on Tuesday and school staff brought the children identified as being in need for treatment as well as many who were absent when we screened. As well as treating children we saw many adults before packing up and driving a further 108 km south to Balgo late that afternoon. On Wednesday and Thursday a team set up and had a busy session at the Balgo clinic and the other team examined children at Luurnpa school and set up a clinic to treat those in need. On Friday one team returned to the Balgo clinic and the other travelled across to Mulan on the edge of Lake Gregory to screen children at the school and run a busy session at the clinic before driving back to Balgo. On Saturday we packed up and drove the 540 km to Fitzroy Crossing where we stayed overnight and enjoyed an end of trip celebratory dinner at the Lodge. We crossed the new 2 lane temporary crossing on Saturday morning and after a chicko roll fest at Willare Roadhouse we arrived back in Broome early afternoon in time to repack for the July trip before the team flew out in the evening.
Dr John Hearne, Dr Greg Celine, DA Ruth Warden, DA Karen Bowman, Tracy Sandercock, final year dental student Joshua Ding, Jan and John.
Our visits to Halls Creek and East Kimberley communities were very well received. 644 people. As well as examination, oral hygiene instruction and dietery advice 101 topical fluoride applications, 705 fissure sealants, 155 extractions, 228 restorations, 66 scale and clean, 8 radiographs, 629 education units and 136 other – including 8 partial dentures. In all $198,983.40 of dental services were provided.
Thank you as always to our incredible current and past corporate sponsors, Maven Dental Group, Denticare, International College of Dentists, SDI, Colgate, CBA Employees Community Grants, the Office of the Chief Dental Officer, the Mc Cusker Charitable Foundation, the Academy of Dentistry International, the Rotary Clubs of Perth, Perth City East and Heirrison for their ongoing support, the young Rotaracts for packing our toothbrushes into classroom ready packs.
Thank you to the Australian Dental Association (WA Branch), for their ongoing support of KDT in general and especially for awarding Grants for final year dental students through the University of WA. These Remote Area Student Scholarships greatly assist with their remote placement costs. The John Prichard Memorial Prizes were awarded to four final year DMD dental students. This along with ADA support allows us to mentor and support seven students this year.
KDT teams continue to engage with remote communities, providing invaluable dental services in a friendly and happy team environment. Volunteers express the pleasure they feel in seeing the difference made by the education program and being able to relieve chronic pain for people who have been suffering.
We are very happy to report that the Team has worked hard and completed the requirements for our 2023 Grant through the Office of the Chief Dental Officer.
Thank you to our fabulous volunteers and supporters without whom these results could not have been achieved over the past fifteen years.
View the photos from this trip and follow our 2023 travels and adventures on the Craig the Croc Facebook page
