Boulia Shire Council CEO Shane Gray shares how the RFDS Dental Service is closing the gap in oral healthcare out west.
Every year in the small outback town of Boulia, the RFDS Mobile Dental Unit rolls in with a team of highly qualified dentists and dental assistants, offering free oral health care to the community.
Parked beside the local RFDS Primary Health Care Clinic, the unit houses two fully-equipped dental surgeries and an orthopantomogram (OPG) machine capable of capturing panoramic X-rays.
For two weeks, every visit, residents can book in for routine check-ups, treatments, X-rays, tooth extractions and any general dental treatments — services that locals would otherwise need to travel seven hours to access in Mount Isa.
For Boulia Shire Council CEO Shane Gray, the timing couldn’t have been better after cracking a tooth on a classic Mintie when the RFDS were in town.
“If it weren’t for the RFDS Mobile Dental Unit and the RFDS Primary Health Care Clinic regularly visiting, our local community would have limited options and struggle to manage their health needs,” Shane said.
“Several locals would probably have to put up with the pain or self-manage, as the only other option would be a seven-hour return trip for an appointment.
“In reality, this could mean an overnight stay, adding significantly to the cost of treatment.”
In the last financial year, the RFDS dental team visited 16 regional, rural and remote communities across Queensland, treating 2,551 patients.
During the 2025 rotation, the team saw 168 patients in Boulia and provided 1,210 procedures and 220 occasions of care.
“On behalf of our community, we are so grateful for the service,” Shane said.
“The team were lovely people who showed real care and interest in our community members — from my experience, everyone out here was looked after very well.
“The fact that the RFDS services the west means that people can enjoy living in a rural and remote community and be confident in having excellent health services — and not just a visit to the dentist, allied health services and medical specialists are available throughout the year.
“I’ve had several friends throughout my career who wouldn’t be with us if it weren’t for the RFDS.
“It’s a service that towns like Boulia can’t live without.”
The Flying Doctor acknowledges the support of the QCoal Group, QCoal Foundation and the Australian Government in establishing the RFDS Dental Service in 2013.
