The Queensland School Dental Service

1911- 1970

Follow the story of this pioneering program, shaped by the peculiarity of Queensland’s development. Learn about the committed dentists and public servants who fought to give every young Queenslander the opportunity to receive dental care.

These practitioners brought relief and terror, possibly in equal measure, to the furthest corners of the state and, for better or worse, ultimately still influence Queenslanders’ attitudes and sentiments to oral health.

Today, the provision of school dental services in Queensland is managed by the local Hospital and Health Services through fixed or mobile dental clinics.

For more information on Queensland Health’s public dental services today, including options for children, visit the Queensland Health Dental Services page.

 

Authors: ADAQ Dental History Preservation Committee (Harry F Akers BDSc, FRACDS, BA, GCertDent, GDipClinDent, PhD, GCertHE; Michael A Foley BDSc, MPH, MEpi Doctoral Student, University of Queensland Oral Health Centre, Alessandra Boi BAHons GCertInfoStud), with John P Brown BDSc, MS, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. 
Images: Queensland State Archives (see their dentistry album  on Flickr) and John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland; and ADAQ Archives.