@fredaustralia.bsky.social
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
A group of people stand in front of a pull up banner that has the words "Give us an ad break" on it. They are looking at the camera smiling.
We’re proud to support this campaign and call on the Federal Government to introduce clear, consistent legislation that puts our health before the profits of companies that make and market products that cause so much harm.
giveusanadbreak.org.au
#GiveUsAnAdBreak #OralHealth #PublicHealth
8/8
#Prevention is always more effective (and more affordable) than treatment. And it benefits everyone.
7/8
If we’re serious about prevention, we have to look upstream.
Reducing the saturation marketing of harmful products is about creating healthier environments, especially for children and communities already facing #health inequities.
6/8
Every year, more than 80,000 Australians are hospitalised for preventable #dental conditions. Many of these conditions are linked to the social and commercial environments we live in.
5/8
The same commercial marketing systems that promote unhealthy food and drinks are also shaping lifelong patterns of disease, including preventable oral disease.
4/8
Oral health is integral to our overall health and wellbeing. Products that are high in sugars are one of the leading drivers of tooth decay, one of the most common chronic diseases in #Australia.
3/8
That’s why we’re proud to stand alongside a wide coalition of community and public health organisations calling for a new Harmful Products Marketing Act as part of the "Give Us An Ad Break" campaign.
2/8
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
As Alex says, the most meaningful change happens where science, lived experience and policy intersect.
probonoaustralia.com.au/blogs/change...
5/5
#OralHealth #Prevention #HealthEquity #PublicHealth #Dental
Prevention delivers better health & wellbeing outcomes for communities, reduces pressure on hospitals, & strengthens system sustainability.
With a new National Oral Health Plan on the horizon, it's an opportunity to embed prevention, equity & integration into Australia’s health agenda.
4/5
Tooth decay remains one of the country’s most common chronic diseases. The science is clear: prevention works.
At FRED, we focus on translating that evidence into practical tools, trusted information and system reform so everyone can maintain their oral health across the life course.
3/5
In the interview, Alex reflects on her journey from clinical dentistry and molecular biology to systems advocacy, and why oral health is both a health issue and a social justice issue.
Each year, more than 80,000 Australians are hospitalised for preventable dental conditions.
2/5
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.
"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
The survey takes about 10 minutes and is open to anyone who wants to share their perspective.
Take the survey here:
australiashealthpanel.limesurvey.net/393563?token...
#OralHealth #Prevention
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
Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to research, policy development and advocacy on improved food labelling over many years including folks at @georgeinstitute.bsky.social, Food for Health Alliance, @amamedia.bsky.social & VicHealth.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The approach needs strengthening, and we need deeper reform that addresses the commercial determinants of health.
But this decision demonstrates that governments can step in to create healthier defaults. This is the kind of upstream reform our health system needs more of.
7/8
At FRED, we see oral health as part of the broader prevention story. The same commercial and social drivers that fuel chronic disease also fuel oral disease.
Mandating Health Star Ratings won’t fix everything.
6/8
Tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic diseases in the country.
This isn’t just about food. And it isn’t just about dentistry.
It’s about whether our systems protect us from industry practices that drive ill health.
5/8
Frequent exposure to free sugars, aggressive marketing of ultra-processed foods, and confusing packaging all contribute to rising rates of disease.
Every year, more than 80,000 Australians are hospitalised for preventable dental conditions.
4/8
Too often, we place responsibility on individuals while allowing commercial actors to shape the environment around them.
The reality is that our experience of oral disease, like many chronic conditions, is driven by structural factors.
3/8
That undermines trust and leaves people exposed to marketing tactics that prioritise profit over health.
Making the system mandatory is an important step in addressing a broader systemic problem.
2/8
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
Read the summary paper: www.health.gov.au/sites/defaul...
#AusPol #OralHealth #Dental #Prevention #PublicHealth
4/4
As we head toward the next Budget, there’s a real opportunity to invest in prevention-first oral health and treat the mouth as part of the body.
Read the article: theconversation.com/what-our-tee...
3/4
The result isn’t just pain, but shame, silence, and missed opportunities.
That’s why this matters now. The Australian Government has just released a summary of consultations on the new National Oral Health Plan, and Australians were clear: prevention and equity must be central.
2/4
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
If we’re serious about sustainable health and social systems, equity, and better outcomes for communities, greater investments in prevention need to be a feature of the upcoming Federal Budget.
theconversation.com/a-stronger-f...
5/5
#Prevention #PublicHealth #Equity #OralHealth #Dental #AusPol
Oral health is one of the clearest examples of where prevention works, where the science is well established, and where relatively small investments can avoid pain, distress, disruption and much higher downstream costs.
4/5
Yet prevention efforts in Australia are still significantly underfunded, even though the costs of not investing are showing up clearly across our health, social, and productivity outcomes.
3/5