Objective: Australia has a high migrant population. Little research has been conduced on their oral health status and needs and few specific health promotion programs have been introduced to assist migrant groups. This study evaluated the impact of a community-based oral health promotion program on the oral health knowledge, attitudes, practices and status of Greek and Italian older adult living in Melbourne. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was chosen with a separate sample pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group to evaluate the intervention. 520 active, independent-living older adults, 55 years or older who were members of Greek or Italian social clubs participated in the program. The intervention consisted of several components: a series of oral health seminars including donations of relevant oral care products; ongoing provision of oral care products at a reduced rate; and printed relevant oral health information sheets (ORHIS). Results: Participants in both Greek and Italian clubs who took part in the intervention responded with higher levels of achievement than those in the control groups. At post-test evaluation, controlling for pre-test scores using ANCOVAs, the experimental groups were significantly more likely than the control groups to have improved oral health attitudes (p<0.01), oral health knowledge (p<0.01), and self-assessed physical health status (p<0.05). The intervention also impacted on: self-reported oral hygiene practices (p<0.001), denture hygiene (p<0.01) and the use of oral health services (p<0.01). No statistically significant effects were found to impact on any of the clinical variables. Conclusion: The ORHIS approach was successful within the setting of Greek and Italian social clubs in raising awareness of oral health issues. It was highly acceptable to the communities and appears sustainable with minimal external input and resources. As such, it represents a helpful approach for the design of oral health interventions in older adults. Supported by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (1999-0312).

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