How do we make dental care affordable?
That was the question that ABC Radio Melbourne asked their listeners this week, following reporting on the Senate Committee inquiry into dental services.
The Senate Select Committee into the Provision of and Access to Dental Services in Australia handed down their final report A system in decay: a review into dental services in Australia in November last year, and it continues to generate media as we await the Government’s response. The ongoing interest highlights how important access to dental care is across the community.
Earlier this week I participated in an hour long discussion on ABC Radio Melbourne (with colleagues Dr Arosha Weekakoon from the University of Queensland, Anika Stobart from the Grattan Institute and Dr Dan Wilson from the Rural Doctors Association of Victoria) to discuss the problems people face in accessing dental care and some of the possible solutions canvassed by the Senate Committee.
Talkback callers to the show were unanimous in their calls for the government to invest more into dentistry:
Caroline said she would probably have to cancel her upcoming appointments for crowns because of the cost, and was considering a trip to Thailand for treatment.
Bruce argued that we should be looking at a tax on sugary drinks to help fund a new dental program (to fix the problems that sugary drinks cause).
Pam recalled visits to the school dentist as a child, and thought that there should be compulsory dental checks before children start school (in the same way that vaccinations are mandatory).
Jenny talked about the positive impact that early treatment had for her daughter, and how she was fortunate that she was able to afford the treatment that was required.
What this program again highlighted was the significant challenges facing many Australians, particularly in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. We know that too many Australians are missing out on necessary health care, and the cost to them and society is significant. Investing in oral health provides important benefits, and there is a growing need for the government to fund dental care in the same way that they fund other areas of health. And it is our role to continue to advocate to decision makers wherever and whenever we can that we must not let this opportunity to act now slip away.
The Albanese Government is now considering their response to the Senate Committee report which is due by the end of February.
You can listen to the ABC Conversation Hour episode ‘How do we make dental care affordable?’ here.
Dental As Anything Podcast
Keep an eye out for the launch of the Dental As Anything podcast next week. The podcast will be available online through this platform, and also on Spotify and Apple Podcast.
