Key health advocates have slammed the government’s inquiry into dental services as a wasted opportunity for older Australians.
The government last week released Provision and Access of Dental Services in Australia findings, including 35 recommendations, but advocates are underwhelmed by the report and its lack of practical action.
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) labelled the report a “wasted opportunity”.
After making several recommendations to the inquiry about looking after vulnerable patients, the ADA said it is disappointed with the final result.
Key to its recommendations was to implement a seniors dental benefits schedule along the lines of the existing scheme for children, including funded dental care for more than 200,000 seniors in residential aged care.
“It would only cost the government $15 billion a decade compared with trying to include dental into Medicare for every Australian, at a cost of at least $77 billion a decade, it’s estimated,” ADA president Dr Scott Davis said.
“But instead of doing that, the government has chosen to ignore our solution for tackling the oral health issue of millions of seniors, as well as those other populations.”
Taskforce recommended
The government recommended establishing a task force within the Department of Health and Aged Care to identify and improve opportunities to integrate oral and dental health care into primary health care. Opportunities could include:
- adding an oral health assessment to existing targeted health assessments provided under Medicare
- introducing an oral health assessment as a standard component of the residential aged care intake process, and for residential disability care intake
- incorporating emergency dental services into nurse-led walk-in centres and/or hospital emergency departments.
The committee also recommended the Department of Health and Aged Care works to increase the role of dental hygienists and other oral health therapists in providing preventative and basic oral health care by adding several service items to the Medicare Benefits Schedule, under the category of Allied Health Services; and to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs dental schedule.
COTA, formerly Council of the Ageing, was also disappointed in the government’s response, saying while it has plenty of recommendations, there was no commitment to implementation.
COTA chief executive Patricia Sparrow said the lack of a clear timeline or commitment to immediate and practical action will be a bitter blow for older people.
Mediocre response
“The federal government’s response is mediocre at best,” Ms Sparrow said.
“It’s been three years since the Royal Commission into Aged Care highlighted the importance of ensuring our most vulnerable older people, including those in aged care, get access to the oral and dental care they need, yet the government seems to still be stuck in ‘noting’ mode when it comes to those key recommendations.
“Good oral health is vital for maintaining good overall health, and the risks of not getting the care people need can be incredibly serious – even life-threatening in some extreme cases.
“Having good dental care is essential to good health, no matter what your age, but we know that as you get older the risk of broader health implications increases.
“It’s pleasing to know that the government says conversations about action are coming, but older people deserve more certainty than that. We want to see a detailed timeline, especially for the introduction of a Seniors Dental Benefit Scheme, as soon as possible.”
COTA data shows:
- 37 per cent of Australians aged 55+ have delayed or completely put off going to the dentist in the past year due to cost.
- 44 per cent of older Australians on lower incomes have delayed or completely put off going to the dentist in the past year due to cost.
- 57 per cent of Australians aged 55+ who say they are financially struggling have delayed or completely put off going to the dentist in the past year due to cost.
What do you think of the findings? Why not share your opinion in the comments section below?
Also read: Is accessing your super to pay for dental a good idea?
Dream on. I am a supposedly rich self funded retiree, and getting zilch in assistance from the government. Half of my teeth are falling apart after radiation therapy to my face. I have asked for assistance, and the silence has been deafening….
I am 77 and have several chronic conditions which require frequent visits to GPs and specialists – I have already paid out over $6,000 in doctors fees this year. I know I really need to see a dentist and I know I am probably facing about $5000 in dental bills but I simply don’t have the money.
I am on the age Pension and I know It’s going to cost me an arm and a leg, that is of course when I get to the top of the waiting line and this is the Government run Dental Clinic. 4 years ago I had perfect teeth and also very long thick hair and then I got a Sepsis Infection and was in ICU for 3 weeks and then 2 weeks in the general ward. Then about 3 months after coming home, my hair started falling out and my teeth began to just break in half and other’s have broken off at the Gum. So I’ve ended up with 6 teeth on the bottom gums and I think 1 of those will have to be removed. While my Hair has grown back, there’s only been 1 option with them and that will take quite a few extractions where my teeth broke off and Dentures for both top and bottom teeth . I freely admit to hating to have to go to the Dentist but now I have no other option, while my health is pretty good so far, the embarrassment of having to go anywhere because people just assume it’s about time I should go to the Dentist. If they only new how much I want that to happen but unfortunately it’s not as easy as that , because if I went to a private Dentist, I wouldn’t even get through the door because there’s no way I could pay the Private Dentist prices. So I just have to wait, they don’t care about your health or your embracement even at the Public Dentist. This does need sorting out because I bet I’m not the only one in my shoes out there.