Specialised care for regions
DHSV had the privilege of visiting the Smile Squad specialist hub in Bendigo as they celebrated their big move to a brand-new facility within the community hospital.
CEO Sue McKee, Chief Operating Officer Mark Sullivan and Director Oral Health Relationships Merrin Tonks were on site to mark the first of three Smile Squad regional hubs providing local access to specialised care for children in regional and rural areas.
The event was attended by Maree Edwards MP who celebrated the hub’s move to its new home, and the 100 children who have now received specialist care since the Bendigo service started in September 2023.
The local member for Bendigo West met staff including paediatric dentist Dr Amanda Leske and patient Kaylin, 8, who was on site to receive further specialist care. Kaylin and her mum Hayley live in Castlemaine, and now benefit from a journey to Bendigo that takes less than 45 minutes versus a two-hour drive to Melbourne. Hayley told us that Kaylin’s experience had been wonderful.
It's likely that 250 children will have received care in this exceptional service's first calendar year.
Keep an eye out for further updates on the Smile Squad specialist hubs. The Geelong hub operating out of Barwon Health’s Newcomb clinic opened this month and a final hub in Latrobe Valley is still to come.
