Page 1884 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 2 May 2012
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A report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2011 reported that only 40 per cent of the population have regular check-ups. Thirty per cent say they cannot afford to or have trouble accessing a dentist. This picture is replicated in the ACT, with 44 per cent of respondents to the ACT general health survey reporting that they had delayed dental care because of the cost.
Dental disease is significant. It is the second most costly diet-related disease in Australia. The economic cost of poor dental care, poor dental health, can be measured in direct costs, expenditure on dental services, induced illnesses and associated health costs such as visits to medical practitioners, hospital treatment, pharmacy costs, as well as indirect costs such as lost productivity due to taking days off at work.
Currently, free public dental services in the ACT are provided to all children under the age of 18 years who have a Centrelink card. Children who do not have a Centrelink card can access the same level of care up to the age of 14 but co-payments are required. All adult Centrelink cardholders are eligible for public treatment in the ACT but some co-payments are required.
Despite the subsidised public dental costs, many clients have difficulties making payments. Several initiatives have been introduced to help clients manage co-payments, including payment plans and centrepay, which automatically deducts money from Centrelink payments.
Ms Bresnan’s motion asks for more detail on the mean waiting times for adults on ACT Health’s dental waiting list. The ACT government accountability indicator for the mean waiting time is 12 months, which the Health Directorate continues to meet. The 12-month indicator is consistent with other states and territories. It is important to note that this waiting list is indicative only of people seeking routine dental care. No eligible ACT resident suffering acute dental pain has to wait more than 24 hours for treatment of an acute condition.
National reviews of public sector dental waiting lists have identified a number of factors contributing to waiting times. These include the number of dentists graduating from our dental schools, as well as the significant pay disparity between public and private sector dentists. I am pleased to inform the Assembly that the Health Directorate has embraced the federal government’s initiative to create a new graduate clinical placement scheme which is designed to provide additional dentists to the public sector on a voluntary 12-month placement scheme. The Health Directorate has been involved with the scheme since its inception and we hope to welcome the first graduates under this scheme in early 2013.
The Health Directorate has been extremely active in recruiting dental staff and now takes final year students from the University of Adelaide for clinical placements with a view to recruitment. Last year I had the pleasure of meeting some of those new future dentists at the Moore Street clinic in Civic. The Health Directorate is also helping redress the public-private pay disparity by offering a supportive, attractive work culture and innovative, ongoing education programs for staff.
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