​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​People from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and non-English speaking backgrounds, refugees and newly arrived migrants may have dental problems and may not be aware of, or able to look after their own dental needs. There are a number of barriers to accessing dental care including:

  • Language and cultural barriers 
  • Limited understanding of oral health services available
  • Cost of transport to appointments
  • Limited availability of interpreters.​
Refugees arriving in Australia may experience poorer dental health due to:
  • Interrupted access to general health and dental care
  • Lack of access to nutritious food
  • Lack of access to clean water
  • Injury to the mouth
  • Past traumatic experiences ​​
Many may require the support of various health care providers and community groups to help them in their oral health care. For everyday messages on how to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy, see page:  Healthy habits for a Healthy Mouth.


Multicultural Health Communications Services​ have translated dental and general health information available to view and downloaded. 

Additional Information

NSW Refugee Health Service: Share the Same Smile – a presentation for refugee communities

The Share the Same Smile suite of resources aims to improve oral health knowledge and reduce dental problems in refugee communities. The resources are designed to be presented directly to refugee groups, in their own language, by bilingual community educators, or in simple English by other multicultural or health workers.

NSW Refugee Health Service: The Importance of a Healthy Mouth​

This resource provides dental information for newly arrived refugees and others of migrant background in NSW. This video is about the importance of a health mouth. The video is available in eight languages: Arabic - Sudanese, Dari, English, Karen, Nepalese, Tamil, and Urdu.

Refugee Health Services: The Importance of a Healthy Diet​

This resource provides dental information for newly arrived refugees and others of migrant background in NSW. This video is about the importance of a healthy diet. The publication is available in eight languages: Arabic,  Dari, English,  Karen, Nepalese, Tamil and Urdu.​

Current as at: Thursday 24 October 2024
Contact page owner: Centre for Oral Health Strategy