Dental peak body poised to work with Government to implement Senate Report Recommendations
The Australian Dental Association Media Release
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) today announced it was ready to work with the Albanese Government to put into practice some key recommendations form the Senate report into dental access.
The Final Report into the Provision of and Access to Dental Services in Australia which was led by Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, included a number of key recommendations which the ADA has been calling on for a number of years.
“We’re delighted the report agreed that the Government needs to set up a dental scheme for seniors immediately,” said new ADA President Dr Scott Davis. “Now the ADA is publicly calling to meet with the Health Minister in Canberra to get this underway.
“The legislative framework for the Seniors Dental Benefits Schedule already exists with the Dental Benefits Act, and the administrative framework exists thanks to the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
“Now all it needs is the will of the current government to get it going, thus providing vastly improved oral healthcare for over 200,000 aged care residents around Australia who we know from the Aged Care Royal Commission have some of the worst oral health in the nation.”
Other report recommendations the ADA backs include increased salaries for dental staff working in the public sector, incentives to encourage dental practitioners to work in rural areas, the appointment of a Chief Dental and Oral Health Officer to lead and coordinate reforms provided that person is a dentist, and the extension of access to general anaesthesia for disabled children.
However there are some areas of the Report that require further scrutiny to ensure the provision of high quality dental services, and others which the ADA is concerned may be risky, such as the extension of access to pharmaceutical dispensing by non-medical personnel.
The Report also urged Canberra to work with state and territories to ‘achieve universal access to dental and oral healthcare, which expands coverage under Medicare or a similar scheme for essential oral healthcare, over time, in stages.’
The ADA has for many years held the position that is not a finically viable option for any government, due to the $10 bn a year minimum that it would cost to administer.
“That’s why we think it’s preferable to set up targeted schemes which are more affordable and target those in need first,” added Dr Davis. “That means seniors in aged care first, followed by schemes specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the disabled and those on low incomes.”
“We urge the government to work with us on the implementation of these recommendations and look forward to seeing their official response to the report within the requisite three month timeframe.”
Like what we do at The AIMN?
You’ll like it even more knowing that your donation will help us to keep up the good fight.
Chuck in a few bucks and see just how far it goes!
Your contribution to help with the running costs of this site will be gratefully accepted.
You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969
7 comments
Login here Register here-
New England Cocky -
David Stakes -
Andyfiftysix -
Terence Mills -
Roswell -
Eddy B -
Centrelink customer
Return to home pagePerhaps the simplest solution to improve dental health is reduce the number of caries (holes0 by having every person take flouride supplements. Evidence collected in Britain 50+ years ago showed that persons from regions having large areas of flouride bearing rocks had significantly fewer cavities than other regions where a mouthful of rotting teeth was the norm rather than the exception.
In my own family living on tank water and daily flouride supplement tablets my three kids experienced only one cavity between them in their first 15 years of life.
I am a Pre Fluoride baby, and have at 73 virtually 10 teeth left. Cannot handle partial dentures at all. Have tried so disgusting to wear and keep clean or eat with. Was a waste of money.
How it has never been part of medicare baffles me. A pretty important part of the body i would have thought. Must be something to do with preserving that part of medicine as a private business venture. Its so much more efficient having government run dentistry that cuts out the middle man and his ferraris. Maybe the government can wrench the service from private hands by stealth, just as private has expanded by stealth.
Most dentists now are able to prepare a crown in less that half an hour using technology similar to 3D Printing – only problem is they are charging around $2000 per crown out of reach for most punters.
It is about time we looked at improving dental care for the community and including it in Medicare.
Too many people are being forced to travel to India and Thailand for dental care at reasonable prices – we need to do better.
I drove past my dentist’s clinic the other day. Surprised there wasn’t a Rolls Royce or two in the carpark.
About time dental care was included in the Medicare schedule. Lets see if Labor can get at least one thing right.
I used to be a fan of fluoride then did some research, and wouldn’t you know it, another fine mess the cult of commercial scientism got us all into. I mentioned to my dentist a few years ago that I use fluoride-free toothpaste and he looked pleased but said nothing, which said a lot.
Message for ACOSS
Dear ACOSS team,
I complained to your office about Services Australia forcing me into debts I am not responsible for.
Instead of a formal review made by an authorised review officer, their review was conducted by an anonymous “delegate or authorised officer”.
Dear ACOSS team, why do you support this? If you believe it’s legal, then state it in writing, please.
In addition, Services Australia issued 2 debt notices demanding over $4000 of Rent Assistance I was getting for over a year. I was fully eligible for the rent assistance as I met both of the requirements (I was receiving Jobseeker allowance and paying a private rent).
ACOSS senior officers, do you have any concerns or it looks legal to you?