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Oral Health Survey 2017 found caries prevalence was Again, this year Section VIII provided a grant to
high in all age groups. In the 5-7-year-old age group, continue GTSP in the five kindergartens in Port
prevalence was 70% and caries experience more Vila and to expand to eight more kindergartens
than twice as high in urban compared to rural areas in Luganville in 2022. This brings the number of
with mean dmfs 10.92 and 4.34 respectively. 10% of kindergartens supported by ICD to 13 out of a total
survey respondents reported toothache in the past of 41 GTSP schools/kindergartens in 2022!
30 days; of these 50% had two or more episodes over
the 30 day period, 86% cried due to toothache, 71% Perhaps the best way of expressing gratitude for ICD
had disrupted sleep and 67% missed at least one or support is to listen to what teachers at three of the
more days at school. 18.7% of respondents required ICD-supported Kindergartens in Port Vila have to say,
urgent intervention based on pain and/or infection CLICK HERE.
of dental origin. 40% “rarely” or “never brushed”
their teeth.

More information regarding GTSP can be found on

With the last point in mind, the Gudfala Tut Skul the MSM website: msm.org.au.
Program (GTSP) described in the May 2021 issue of Tankyu tumas long ol fren blong ICD we i sapotem
the Section VIII newsletter, was introduced in 2018. Gudfala Tut Skul Program!
Briefly, GTSP is a supervised toothbrushing program
developed by Medical Sailing Ministries Inc. (MSM) Barrie Stewart, blstewart17@gmail.com
using fluoride toothpaste made in Vanuatu using
coconut oil base for children attending Kindergarten
and Grade 1. TIMOR LESTE DENTAL PROGRAM
ICD Grants 2020 & 2021 The pandemic has made the operation of an offshore
dental program more challenging than usual. Like
Last year, MSM successfully applied for a grant from many other overseas programs, the Timor Leste
Section VIII of ICD to implement GTSP in five Port Vila Dental Program has been unable to send any
Kindergartens plus further funding for translation of volunteers to Timor Leste for the past two years.
instructions and classroom documents into Bislama
(the local language) and French, in readiness for Despite this, we’ve been able to continue to provide
expanding GTSP into outer islands. The so-called treatment to the community, in accordance with
‘Brush in a Box’ version of GTSP, specially developed directives from the Ministry of Health. We are very
for remote locations, was trialled over the past 12 fortunate to have two dental therapists, Nico Pires
months in two schools in Sulphur Bay, Tanna. and Ana Tilman, working full-time in our Maubara
Clinic. Timor Leste, however, has had five months
of lockdown of varying severity, over the past
18 months. Sometimes that has meant that the
therapists have been unable to travel to work as they
live in a different district; sometimes that has meant
that they have been restricted to treating emergency
cases only; and sometimes that has meant that the
clinic has been closed. Nico and Ana have managed
to deliver 1,374 items of treatment in that time,
seeing 558 patients.

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