THE SMILE MOVEMENT
WITH PURPOSE
Smile Koomba is a free of charge dental service developed by a passionate and innovative, West Australian team to fill a huge void that exists in the provision of basic health care for those who are suffering and who do not have access to denture treatment.
Our goal is to provide 500 digital dentures by 2025
SO, WHAT IS
Smile Koomba
Smile Koomba has developed an innovative process for digital dentures which cuts the number of appointments required to get a set of dentures by more than half. It is our solution to the low availability of services that are currently available, with the intention of improving the quality of life for thousands.
Its purpose is to positively impact the physical and mental health of people suffering from edentulism (missing teeth) through dramatically decreasing the waiting time for dentures.
This will reduce pressure on the public health system and assist in the integration of these patients back into employment and the community.
Smile Koomba is not a generalised dental service – we only provide full dentures.
“THE IDEA BEHIND SMILE KOOMBA CAME WHEN WE ASKED OURSELVES, HOW CAN INCREASE OUR POSITIVE IMPACT?”
Our long term vision
- Take our services and technology into remote communities and regional areas which do not have easy access to free dental care.
- Collaborate with local universities and research institutes to learn more about the correlations between missing teeth and key factors in life like finding employment, accessing education and mental health.
- Significantly reduce the amount of people on government dental waitlists and provide treatment with a faster turn-around.
- Use our research to highlight the importance and impact of oral health care within the medical industry.
READY TO GET IN TOUCH
AND SEE HOW WE CAN HELP?
Who we help
At Smile Koomba, we are committed to improving the dental health and overall wellbeing of Western Australians through providing quality denture services.
While we wish we could extend our services to everyone, it is essential to focus our efforts on the most vulnerable and those facing the highest health risks.
Each application will be prioritised according to a points-based system, depending on the eligibility criteria outlined and the supporting documents provided.
In line with the WA Government’s ‘Priority Populations’, we prioritise the following groups:
- those living in low socioeconomic circumstances
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
- people with mental illness
- people with disabilities
- carers of people with sickness and disability
- populations living in rural and remote areas (WA only)
- some Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations
To be considered for Smile Koomba’s services, applicants must be at least 18 years old, and belong to at least one of the priority populations listed above or be referred by a case manager or GP.
Patients who have already had their teeth extracted and can provide a recent x-ray will be fast tracked.
To verify your eligibility, relevant supporting documents will be required and are detailed below. Please have these documents ready when you start your application.
Low Socioeconomic Circumstances
Those facing homelessness, those who are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, those who have little to no income and are finding it hard to support their family (single income families) and/or those who have been, or currently are, a victim of domestic violence.
- Bank statements (3 months)
- Referral letter or report from GP (include provider number)
- Referral letter or report from case manager (include provider number)
- Centrelink confirmation of services
- Copy of a police report
- Your own personal reference letter – written by yourself or a family member/friend, landlord, current or former employer (who are able to be contacted to verify their letter)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community
- Verification of Identity form (click here to download)
- Government body or Centrelink document confirming descendance
Mental Illness
Those with a diagnosed mental illness.
- NDIS letter
- Centrelink confirmation of services
- Referral letter or report from GP (include provider number)
- Referral letter or report from case manager (include provider number)
People with Disabilities or Carers of People with Disabilities
Those with a diagnosed disability or a carer of someone diagnosed with a disability.
- NDIS letter
- Referral letter or report from GP (include provider number)
- Referral letter or report from case manager (include provider number)
- Centrelink confirmation of services
- Disability support pension statement
Rural or Remote Locations
Those living in a rural or remote WA area, who may not have easy access to dental treatment.
- Refer to WA Government Declared Postcodes
- Proof of Address (drivers license, utility bill)
Culturally or Linguistically Diverse
Particularly those who were recently displaced from their home country and provided refugee status in Australia.
- Refugee and Humanitarian Visa approval (less than 18 months ago)
Why
IT IS SO IMPORTANT
For those who are lucky enough to have lived without chronic dental problems, it is hard to imagine the impact it can have on a person’s life.
The traditional Government denture method involves several visits across several months or years before a solution can be provided. Several visits makes it even more difficult for people living in remote and regional areas which is why some health services don’t provide dentures.
Having missing teeth increases the risk of issues in other areas of health such as cardiovascular, diabetes and mental health. Not to mention how it affects people’s ability to contribute to society through employment and educational barriers.
What Smile Koomba is proposing is that process being cut back to only weeks (not years) and eventually it will only be a matter of days from a person having no teeth to having a full set of personally fitted dentures.
MOST, IF NOT ALL PATIENTS WE SEE ARE AFFECTED IN SOMEWAY BY THE FOLLOWING ISSUES…
IMPACT ON
01. MENTAL HEALTH
- Depressive Symptoms
- Low confidence & self-esteem
- Extreme dental anxiety
IMPACT ON
02. SOCIAL PERCEPTIONS
Biases towards individuals on the basis of their missing teeth are real.
Despite what we like to admit, many individuals are judged by their appearance. These biases can have a huge impact on an individuals life.
IMPACT ON
03. GENERAL HEALTH
Tooth loss could result from caries, periodontal disease, trauma, infection, malignancies, or failed endodontic treatments. It can present adverse consequences on the remaining dentition and on the patients’ general wellbeing.
Tooth loss has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and an increased risk for kidney disease. Gum disease and severe infections in the mouth can spread to other parts of the body faster than people realise.
COULD MISSING
TEETH BE A
BARRIER FOR
PEOPLE TRYING TO
FIND EMPLOYMENT?
A NEW ERA OF PROVIDING QUALITY RESPECTFUL CARE & SERVICE IN THIS MUCH NEEDED SPACE
Due to old technology and limited resources, the current waiting list for an assessment is painfully long.
Many patients who suffer multiple symptoms, severe pain every single day or serious mental health issues – cannot wait for 2 years for a consultation
- We have trialed and tested a new digital denture process.
- This new process has been developed through the collaboration of our very own clients and progressive dental technology.
- This new process provides high-tech teeth replacement, significantly reducing the amounts of visits needed by at least half when compared to the traditional denture process.
- We hope that one day this new process makes this a service that can be portable, mobile and will be easily taken into regional and remote areas.
- A model that is sustainable and will continue to grow. An opportunity to join forces and make a huge change to many lives, our industry and our community.
OUR TEAM
The Smile Koomba team – We have created a not for profit that changes the lives of our clients. We are experienced professionals in the dental industry, and we love getting to know our clients to connect and truly meet their needs.
We go above and beyond for our patients and want to put our passions for helping the community and changing people’s lives, into action. We want to bring our unique network of great minds, passion, and innovation to Smile Koomba.
The initial inspiration for this project was to provide a solution to the lack of denture services in remote indigenous communities in Northern Western Australia. Once the research for this project began, we soon realized that these services are desperately needed across the state including the City of Perth itself.
The team at Smile Koomba are made up of dental surgeons, marketing experts, life coaches and leaders making change.
Vision
A world where everybody has the ability and confidence to smile BIG.
Purpose
To create a more equitable and innovative public dental system.
RESOURCES & CONNECTIONS
The extensive research and
operational logistics of this initiative
are supported by:
DONATIONS
For donations to Smile Koomba please use the information below.
Account title: SMILE KOOMBA LTD
BSB: 066-000
Account number: 1319 2397
Or get in touch for a fundraising collaboration!
APPLY FOR OUR SERVICES
Please ensure you have read the eligibility criteria information above and have your supporting documents ready.
Get In Touch
READY TO LEARN MORE?
SIMPLY FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH.
