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From little things, big things grow - a story from Mission Australia’s Special Needs Dental Service (SNDS) |
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| 12-11-2008 |
 When Brian first came to Mission Australia’s SNDS, he was quiet, lacking in confidence and very slow to trust. After a year of treatment, we began to understand Brian’s story, where he’d come from and how something as simple as a good set of teeth could help him on his journey.Raised in a family heavily affected by alcohol abuse, Brian turned to alcohol and drug use at an early age. By the time he was in his early forties, Brian had come close to death a number of times. After years of struggling with his addiction, Brian finally decided to enter a rehabilitation program in Sydney’s outer suburbs... Following rehab, Brian moved into supported post-rehabilitation accommodation, and he resided there for a number of years. He began volunteering at welfare services in his local area and soon found casual employment there. His experience, intelligence and compassion for others was well-recognised by his colleagues and superiors, but Brian wanted to further his studies in the welfare field so that he could better support the clients with whom he was working. He soon enrolled in a TAFE course to do just that. Although Brian had made significant progress in his recovery, and was getting his education and career on track, his long battle with alcoholism and drug use had had a significant impact upon his overall health, well-being, and sense of self. His oral health had suffered drastically during the earlier part of his life, and was continuing to have a negative effect upon his health and self confidence. Painful, loose teeth caused discomfort and made eating solid foods difficult. He was also self-conscious about the appearance of his teeth, and believed their poor condition resulted in others judging him harshly. Private dental treatment was out of question for Brian – the expense was beyond his capacity. The waiting period for treatment at the dental hospital, although free of charge, was a number of years. Faced with these options, Brian felt the chances of his getting his dental needs met in the immediate future were bleak – things were going to get worse before getting better. When his caseworker told Brian about the Special Needs Dental Service (SNDS), based at Surry Hills’ Mission Australia Centre, he was given hope that things might change. In August, 2007 Brian attended his first appointment at SNDS. Over the course of the next 12 months, Brian attended SNDS on a regular basis for ongoing dental care. He did not miss one appointment. He had multiple fillings, a few extractions, a scale and clean, and some helpful advice about looking after his teeth and general oral hygiene. With each visit, it became apparent that Brian was becoming not only more comfortable with the staff but also more confident within himself. He would speak at length with staff, keeping them up to date with his latest news and activities, as well as disclosing more and more about his personal history as time went by. As staff grew to know Brian, they recognised that he was also in need of some legal assistance so they referred him to the volunteer solicitors at the Mission Australia Centre. Brian often commented at how impressed he was with Mission Australia staff and the quality of services available at the Centre – he even said that he would be keen to join the organisation at some stage down the track, to help others as he himself had been helped. At the same time, Brian’s personal life was becoming increasingly positive. He had secured some rental accommodation which he shared with a friend. He was doing well in his studies and had begun volunteering with corrective services, assisting with providing rehabilitation and educational programs to youth who had been charged with drink-driving related offences. Brian completed his dental treatment in September, 2008. His oral health had improved substantially, as had his self-esteem. He smiled often, and communicated confidently. By this time, he had completed his Diploma of Welfare and was looking to enrol in a social work degree at university in 2009. He had also been offered a management role in a small manufacturing company. At the completion of his treatment, Brian said he did not know how to thank SNDS enough for what it had provided for him in helping him get back on his feet and to find the confidence to enable him to reach his full potential. SDNS is a service delivered in partnership with SESIAHS - for more information click here
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