Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing I present the committee's report entitled Bridging the dental gap: report on the inquiry into adult dental services, together with minutes of the proceedings.

The matter was referred to the committee by the Minister for Health on 11 August this year. It is well known that almost everyone will experience an oral health problem at some time in their lives. In Australia today over 90 per cent of adults show signs of treated or untreated dental decay. Those with the capacity to pay can assess treatments through private dental services. However, for those most needy, private dental treatment is simply unaffordable. Across Australia over 400,000 adults are on public dental waiting lists. Some people have to wait months for an appointment. For others, waiting lists are not the problem because public dental services are not available where they live.

To address the issues regarding the public dental system the government has committed to a $4.1 billion Dental Reform program. This includes $1.3 billion towards the National Partnership Agreement for Adult Dental Services, from July 2014. Funding under the NPA will help provide additional public dental services for eligible adults across Australia. It should be noted that there is an intergovernmental agreement in place.

In its inquiry, the committee considered how the states and territories might use the new funding arrangements to address the most pressing dental needs. This included how to reach people living in rural, regional and remote areas and how to address the long-term dental health needs of many Australian adults.

The committee considered how to meet the dental health needs of particular population groups with special needs, including Indigenous Australians, older Australians, people with chronic illness and people with disabilities.

The committee heard a wide range of views and experiences regarding the public dental system. The committee heard that Steve, a physically disabled man, had never had his teeth brushed, let alone received a dental check-up. The committee heard that others had to wait 40 months to access dental treatment.

Dental practitioners, oral therapists and hygienists explained how they could best provide services for public patients. The committee also heard from not-for-profit organisations which had partnered with state government service providers or with private dental practitioners to improve access to public services.

The committee has made a number of practical suggestions for consideration during the implementation of the NPA—for example, the need to improve interactions between public and private providers of dental services, to address workforce shortages and to improve access to services.

The committee was told that in the past, dental policy has been characterised by sporadic, short-term and ever-changing priorities. The future of dental services in Australia needs to provide certainty and sustainability—and I emphasise those two things—for public dental patients.

To do this, an ongoing commitment to funding of public dental services is necessary so that gains made are not lost. The committee heard that the ultimate goal for dental services in Australia should be a universal access scheme. With a long-term, sustainable and strategic approach, the suite of dental reforms, including the NPA, will be an important step towards a universal scheme.

On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank those who participated in the inquiry by providing submissions or attending public hearings and roundtables. Their input and insight assisted in shaping the recommendations contained in the report.

I would also like to thank the wonderful secretariat and Emma, from the department, who has been with the committee and assisted with the inquiry, because without their work and without their contribution we would not have such a fantastic report, looking at the sustainability of dental services in Australia—something that is very close to all of our hearts and something that every member of parliament has been confronted with in their office when people come to see them about this very important issue.

Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues on the committee for their participation and contribution to the inquiry. I commend this report to the House.

In accordance with standing order 39(f) the report was made a parliamentary paper.

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