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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED)

@fredaustralia.bsky.social
135 followers 619 following 308 posts

Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) is a national health promotion charity working towards a future where all Australians enjoy good oral health and the many benefits it brings. www.fred.org.au hello@fred.org.au

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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Our September eNewsletter is out, featuring: 🦷 FRED’s 2025-26 Annual Report 🏛️ The latest on national dental health reform 🧵 1/3
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Today, our Co-Founder Dr Alexandra Jones attended an event at Charles Sturt University focused on building medical students’ understanding of #Sjögren’s disease. 🧵 1/5
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
We’re excited to see the launch of Generation Smile, the new global movement for World Oral Health Day 2027! 🌏😁 🧵 1/7
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
We're excited to be at the National Rural Health Alliance's 18th National Rural Health Conference in Tarntanya/Adelaide this week. 🧵 1/2
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
✨ We’re proud to share our 2025-26 Annual Report ✨ FRED is a small but mighty team of people with a vision of everyone in Australia having the opportunity to enjoy good oral health, and the many benefits it brings. 1/5
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Great to be at Australian Parliament House this week, meeting with decision-makers, leaders and organisations working towards a healthier Australia for all. 1/4
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
We welcome the decision by Australian Health Ministers for the establishment of ‘a National Oral Health and Dental Reform Senior Officials Group to progress dental health reform as a national priority.’ 🧵1/6
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
New Australian research has modelled what could happen if Australia introduced a 20 per cent tax on sugar-sweetened drinks. 🧵1/6
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Over the weekend, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll announced a significant commitment to establish 10 new public dental clinics across Victoria, providing free dental care to more than 100,000 Victorians each year once fully established. 🧵1/4
A tram drives towards the camera down a tree-lined street in Melbourne. There is a cityscape and blue sky in the background.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
“Sometimes the most important clinical work does not start in the dental chair. Sometimes it starts outside the van, sitting under a tree with someone who is terrified of coming in... 🧵1/6
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Young adulthood is a time of big transitions. Things like moving out of home, studying, starting work and managing your own health can be challenging. For too many young Australians, dental care is something they simply can’t afford. 🧵 1/6
A young couple hug and laugh together
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
More than 2 million Australians have skipped dental care because of the cost. People should be able to access healthcare when they need it, including for their teeth & mouth. Access shouldn’t depend on how much money you have or where you live. 🧵 1/5
Silhouette of a girl sitting on a park bench with a dog
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Dental Health Week has just kicked off, and it's an important reminder to care for our teeth and gums. But good oral health does not happen through individual effort alone. 🧵1/6
A white wall in an urban landscape with the black letters painted on it:

COME TOGETHER
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Oral diseases are the most common communicable diseases in the Western Pacific Region, affecting an estimated 960 million people. This is why the @who.int Western Pacific Region has increased their focus on oral health care and prevention. 🧵 1/4
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
On Friday changes were proposed to the Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) platform to strengthen their commitment to oral health. 🧵1/6
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Can we use the Ottawa Charter to guide community-based interventions for oral health promotion? A recent South American study suggests that the answer is, yes. 🧵 1/7
A group of people in Brazil stand on the beach playing football in the sunset.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
“there’s links between [oral health] and wellbeing how they impact each other, so the mouth is your gateway to your body right? You’ve gotta look after it.” This was one of the reflections shared in a study on the oral health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 1/
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Our June eNewsletter is hot off the press! In this issue: 🦷 FRED receives philanthropic funding boost in NSW & ACT 🦷 Scott Wilson urges health sector to address threats of populism 🦷 New ways to connect with FRED 1/2
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
The mouth is home to billions of bacteria. Oral hygiene often deteriorates when people are unwell, sedated, immobile, or taking certain medications. 🧵 1/4
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Croakey Health Media @croakeynews.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Health leaders respond to Pauline Hanson and the rise of populism www.croakey.org/health-leade...
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
We’re excited to share that FRED has received funding from the John James Foundation, through the Canberra Foundations Collaborative, to deliver a new preventive oral health project in partnership with YWCA Canberra. 🧵1/5
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
✨ We're thrilled to announce that we've received funding through the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Grassroots Grants program to support preventive oral health in regional NSW. 🧵 1/5
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Dr Monique Ryan @mon4kooyong.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
🇦🇺 deserves a health system designed for 2035, not one stuck in 1984. Until there’s political courage to rebuild rather than repair, we’ll keep failing patients. Medicare 2.0 should fund complexity and connect primary, specialist, allied, dental and mental health into a single, modern system.
thesaturdaypaper.com.au
Australia’s health system needs a fundamental reset
This month’s budget contains familiar themes when it comes to health: record investment in Medicare, bulk-billing on the rise, and urgent care clinics proliferating. It may sound positive, but it is r...
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
In the May edition of our Newsletter 👀 🦷 Reflections from the Public Health Association of Australia's Preventive Health Conference in Nipaluna/Hobart 🦷 Health leaders respond to the Federal Budget 1/2
Four culturally diverse young people walk down the street laughing and talking together. They are wearing winter clothes and are in a city environment.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Tomorrow our Chair and Co-Founder, Dr Alexandra Jones is delivering a conversation starter at the Public Health Association of Australia's #PHC2026 in Nipaluna/Hobart. 1/3
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
It’s wonderful to be in Lutruwita this evening at the St Lukes welcome reception for the Public Health Association of Australia’s Preventive Health Conference. It’s inspiring to hear about their vision for Tasmania as “the healthiest island on the planet.” 🧵1/3
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Ahead of the Federal Budget, Australians are sending a pretty clear message: our oral health system is not working well enough. 🧵 1/4
A cute kid with blonde hair grins at the camera. They have a few missing front teeth, and have a blue jumper tied around their shoulders.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
If your oral health practitioner recommends treatment, especially if it’s expensive or invasive, consider asking the following questions to get a better sense of your options: 🦷 can you explain what the problem is in plain language? 🦷 what are my options, including the least invasive? 🧵 1/4
A young woman with auburn hair smiles at the camera, she has freckles and bright red lip stick on.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Too many Australians are being priced out of the health care they need. The latest report from Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) is a stark reminder that cost is still a major barrier to health care in Australia, and dental care is one of the clearest examples. 🧵 1/4
A child's painting with two orange hand prints and a red heart in the middle.
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Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · 30/03/2026
Vaping shown to likely cause lung and oral cancer in strongest review yet, Australian researchers say
theguardian.com
Vaping shown to likely cause lung and oral cancer in strongest review yet, Australian researchers say
‘There is no doubt that the cells and tissues of the oral cavity, the mouth and the lungs are altered by inhalation from e-cigarettes,’ academic says * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Vaping is likely to cause lung and oral cancer, researchers have found, as they urged regulators to act now rather than wait decades for a definitive level of risk. Cancer researchers led by UNSW in Sydney analysed reviews of evidence from animal studies, human case reports and laboratory research published between 2017 and 2025, in one of the most detailed assessments to date of whether nicotine e-cigarettes could cause cancer. Continue reading...
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
🦷 Our March eNewsletter is hot off the press! This month, we’re celebrating World Oral Health Day, and the theme "A happy mouth is a happy life" by sharing a new post we created for Health and Wellbeing Queensland's blog. 🧵1/4
Two women sit on a couch, looking at a tablet, laughing. They are wearing jumpers and look cosy. On the right is a green box with the text "FRED eNewsletter March 2026" overlaid.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Imagine a health system where everyone receives quality, culturally appropriate care, when and where they need it. A system free from racism and discrimination. Where people have the time and space to care for those they love. 🧵 1/6
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Today is World Oral Health Day, and this year’s message is one we love: A happy mouth is a happy life. We’re proud to partner with Health and Wellbeing Queensland on a blog exploring how what happens in your mouth can influence your overall health. 🧵 1/5
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Scrolling your feed. Watching sport. Waiting for the train. These spaces should be free from ads for products that harm our health, including gambling, alcohol and unhealthy foods. But right now, they’re almost impossible to escape. 🧵 1/8
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
"I’m driven by a very simple idea: many oral diseases are preventable, and no one should suffer because the system failed to support them." We’re proud to share that our Co-Founder and Chair, Dr Alexandra Jones, is featured in ProBono News’ Changemaker column. 🧵1/5
Dr Alex Jones sits at a desk in front of a laptop, smiling at the camera. She's wearing blue rimmed glasses and a blue and peach silk blouse. There's a window and a colourful bookshelf behind her.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF)  is running a short survey (13–27 February) to understand people’s experiences with public #dental care, barriers such as cost and travel, and views on including dental care as a normal part of #healthcare. 🧵1/2
australiashealthpanel.limesurvey.net
Public dental and oral health funding
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Today Food Ministers have agreed to make the Health Star Rating mandatory on all packaged food. When labelling is voluntary, it’s the food industry that decides what we see. Products that score well get the star. Products that don’t… quietly don’t. 🧵 1/8
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Good oral health should be an unremarkable part of living well, not a marker of wealth or worth. This piece from @theconversation.com reminds us that “poor teeth” aren’t about poor choices. They’re the imprint of cost, access, and a system that still treats oral health as optional. 🧵 1/4
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
"We found preventative investments could save taxpayers billions of dollars in health and social care costs. But to achieve these gains, the way we think about investing in prevention needs to change." - Dr Angela Jackson 🧵 1/5
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
We’re kicking off 2026 with our first newsletter that explores some of the big conversations shaping oral health in Australia and around the world. 🧵1/3
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
We're super excited that our Chair, Dr Alexandra Jones will join an incredible mix of local and international speakers at the Australian Progress Conference this year in Naarm (Melbourne) and online. 🧵 1/4
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Health Policy Watch - Global health news reporting @healthpolicywatch.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
⚖️ Which #NCDs count—and why? A World Economic Forum report quietly elevates chronic kidney disease while sidelining oral health, dementia, air pollution, & obesity. ⚕️Priorities follow what systems can manage—not necessarily what people live with! INSIDE VIEW: Habib Benzian @weforum.org 📖⬇️ & 🔁🙏
healthpolicy-watch.news
Not All Diseases Are Equal: How A World Economic Forum Report Quietly Reshaped The NCD Agenda - Health Policy Watch
The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) latest report on acting early on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) signals more than urgency. It signals a shift in what counts.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
A useful way to think about fluoride isn’t to start with chemistry, but with a simpler question: How are we going with tooth decay rates in Australia? If tooth decay was no longer a problem, the fluoride conversation would look very different. But the data tells us we’re not there yet. 🧵 1/3
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
🦷 Plot twist: your mouth is way more involved in your health than you might think. This great explainer from The Conversation by Prof Aylin Baysan looks at the two-way relationship between oral health and diabetes. 🧵1/5
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair smiles as she holds her iPhone over her blood glucose monitor on the back of her arm. Her hand is resting on a stainless steel bench top, and there's a chilled glass of water with a slice of lemon in it.
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
At the recent United Nations General Assembly, world leaders adopted a landmark political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health, and for the first time, oral health is explicitly part of the picture. 🧵 1/8
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Many of us are taught that good oral health comes down to effort: brush well, floss daily, don’t eat too much sugar, and your teeth should be fine. Those habits really do matter. They protect your teeth and gums, support a healthy mouth, and make a genuine difference over time. 🧵 1/3
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
From all of us at FRED, we hope you are spending time this summer doing things that fill your cup. Whether it’s spending time in nature, catching up with family and friends, cooling off with a swim, or diving into a good book. 📚🌊 🧵1/4
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Hot weather, long road trips, extra snacking, sugary drinks, and holiday stress can all shift what’s happening inside your mouth. So this week, we’re sharing some simple ways to keep your oral health on track over summer. 🧵 1/3
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Friends of Really Excellent Dentistry (FRED) @fredaustralia.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Our final eNewsletter of the year is hot off the press! In this edition: 🧡 Top tips for looking after your oral health this summer 🧡 Dr Alexandra Jones in @croakeynews.bsky.social about why VicHealth’s independence is foundational to its mission and success 1/2
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go follow @news.abc.net.au @abc-news.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
'It's cooked': Big Brother contestant quit so she could afford the dentist: www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/abio…
abc.net.au
'It's cooked': Big Brother contestant quit so she could afford the dentist
Data obtained by the ABC shows people are waiting months, if not years, for dental care in every Australian state and territory due to the cost.
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