Six Australian doctors have completed dental training before their deployment to four Antarctic stations later this year.
The two-week course, held in August in Tasmania, was delivered by Oral Health Services Tasmania (OHST) at the Southern Dental Centre in Hobart. It marked a shift from the past seven decades, when Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) doctors were trained in Victoria.
“The course is a mixture of theory and practical components covering patient oral assessments, radiography, trauma, filling and extraction techniques,” said Dr. Ioan Jones, OHST clinical director.
“Once the doctors are down on station, if there’s a particularly complex case, OHST dentists will also provide emergency telehealth dental support,” he added.
Four Antarctic stations
Each of Australia’s four Antarctic stations—Casey, Davis, Mawson and Macquarie Island—has a single doctor responsible for the health of about 25 expeditioners during winter and up to 120 during summer.
“We are really looking forward to this partnership and ensuring our Antarctic doctors and expeditioners are well looked after,” Jones said.
Australia’s Antarctic strategy
Australia’s Antarctic presence is guided by the Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan, updated in 2022. The plan sets out the nation’s scientific, environmental and strategic priorities for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean over the next two decades.
The government says the strategy aims to:
- keep Antarctica free from strategic and political conflict
- safeguard sovereignty over the Australian Antarctic Territory and nearby offshore areas
- support a strong Antarctic Treaty system
- conduct high-quality scientific research aligned with national priorities
- protect the unique Antarctic environment and its influence on the region
- monitor and influence developments in a region close to Australia
- encourage economic opportunities consistent with treaty obligations, including the ban on mining and oil drilling
