The AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit (DSRU) collects and reports dental statistics, managing several large dental data collections. DSRU also studies dental health status, dental practices, the use of dental services, and the dental labour force. DSRU is a collaborating unit of the AIHW. It is located in the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH) at the University of Adelaide.
In 2004–2006, the AIHW conducted the National Survey of Adult Oral Health (NSAOH). The NSAOH was Australia’s second nation-wide oral health examination survey, 17 years after the 1987–88 National Oral Health Survey of Australia. ARCPOH designed and directed the NSAOH in collaboration with health departments in each state/territory. The survey included interviews and dental examinations. The first report from the NSAOH, Australia’s dental generations: The National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004–06, was released on 17 March 2007. State and Territory reports were released on 7 August 2008. AIHW also published analyses on other research questions about oral health in Australia’s adult population.
The National Dental Telephone Interview Survey (NDTIS) reports on dental health and access to dental services, and is part of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care’s work program on 'adult access to dental care'. DSRU conducts the NDTIS every two and a half years. The latest survey was run in July 2010.
The Child Dental Health Survey (CDHS) provides national information on the dental health of children attending school dental services in Australia. DSRU runs the CDHS annually.
Dental workforce
DSRU maintains information about the dental workforce in Australia, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists and dental prosthetists.
Publications
Dental and oral health publications