This year marks 12 years since the launch of the QCoal Community Dental Service, a pioneering initiative born from a partnership between the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Queensland and the QCoal Foundation.
As Australia’s first mobile dental service of its kind, it was purpose-built with two state-of-the-art surgeries to address the critical shortage of oral healthcare in regional and remote communities.
After four years of funding from the QCoal Foundation, the service transitioned on 1 April 2017 to become the RFDS Dental Service, now funded by the Commonwealth Government.
Over the past 12 years, the RFDS Dental Service has delivered nearly $16 million in oral healthcare to more than 20,000 patients across 27 Queensland communities – completing an incredible 143,500 treatments and procedures. Its impact on the oral health of regional Queenslanders remains significant and ongoing.
“The QCoal Foundation, alongside our Founding Donor, QCoal Group, is proud to see the ongoing success of our partnership with the RFDS. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and remain committed to strengthening regional communities by ensuring access to essential healthcare. The RFDS Dental Service is one of the many ways we are making a lasting impact and building a healthier, more resilient future for regional and remote Queensland communities.” Sylvia Bhatia, QCoal Foundation CEO.
Without the vision and support of the QCoal Foundation, and the support it receives from QCoal, partners and its dedicated team, this vital service may never have existed.
You can learn more about the RFDS Dental Service and the QCoal Foundation’s partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section)