INTEGRATING ORAL HEALTH CARE ACROSS NON-DENTAL PROFESSIONALS
PART 2: CASE STUDY Integrated oral health care in midwifery practice

SEGMENT
Filmed in Melbourne, Liverpool, NSW and Sydney | February 2025

INTERVIEWS

Associate Professor Rachel Martin, Adjunct Associate Professor,
University of Melbourne & Western Sydney University &
Director, Australian Network for the Integration of Oral Health (NIOH) & Director, Australian Dental Research Foundation

Dr Ajesh George, Professor of Interprofessional Oral Health,
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University &
Co-Founder & Director, Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH)

Alison Weatherstone, Chief Midwife
Australian College of Midwives

Bonnie Morrison, Health Promotion Team Lead
Dental Health Services Victoria

Cindy Scott, Endorsed Midwife & Registered Nurse
Growing Great Babies and Kids Program, Tweddle &
Early Parenting Centre, Barwon Health, Victoria

Following the Australian Health Journal segment, “Integrating oral health care across non-dental professionals: Part 1 How oral health and cardiovascular health, diabetes and cognitive decline are related”, Part 2 is a Case Study on an integrated oral health care in midwifery practice called the midwifery initiated oral health model, or MIOH for short.

There is limited emphasis being placed on perinatal oral health by prenatal care providers in Australia. Pregnant women have no system in place that can offer them regular oral assessment during pregnancy and prompt dental treatment at minimal or no cost as experienced in other countries. To address the oral health needs of pregnant women, a unique midwifery initiated oral health (MIOH) model was developed to promote and maintain maternal oral health.

The model equips midwives with the skills and confidence to include oral health promotion in the first antenatal care booking visit. Commenced in 2008 in Campbelltown Hospital in South Western Sydney, MIOHis succeeding in improving the oral health knowledge, behaviours and oral health outcomes of pregnant women.

This widely researched online education program was prepared by the Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health, in collaboration with various partners including Western Sydney University, Sydney & South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney Dental Hospital, Dental Health Services Victoria, and the Australian College of Midwives. It was supported by funding from the NSW Centre for Oral Health Strategy, Western Sydney University and the Australian College of Midwives.

Australian Health Journal spoke with some of the key representatives of the organisations involved in the establishment, support and involvement in the program.

To see the Australian Health Journal segment, “Integrating oral health care across non-dental professionals: PART 1 How oral health and cardiovascular health, diabetes and cognitive decline”, click here