Victorian Oral Health Alliance Blog

The ADAVB is a member of the Victorian Oral Health Alliance (VOHA), which is an informal and non-aligned group of consumer, welfare and professional bodies committed to improving public dental health. VOHA now has its own Blog, which those interested in the oral health issues being addressed in the 2006 Victorian State election are welcome to visit.

A VOHA website is currently under development and once ready, an announcement about its avaiability will also appear here.

One of the major focal areas in submissions made by Alliance members during the 2004 Federal election was the lack of adequate funding. This was addressed to some extent when the State Government increased recurrent dental funding by around 30% in the 2004/05 budget. As welcome as this was, it still only goes some way to meeting the critical problems in the oral health system. The Alliance is therefore reminding the Government and other parties of the National Oral Health Plan which notes that adult Australians have the second worst oral health status of all OECD countries, and those on Concession Cards the worst status within Australia.

The widespread support for the National Oral Health Plan in late 2004 by the Commonwealth and States was also encouraging, and bipartisan support for this in Victoria provides a most positive context for effective policy development before the forthcoming election. However VOHA notes with alarm that relatively little progress has been made in implementing it.

Members and supporters of the Victorian Oral Health Alliance include:

• Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch Inc
• Australian Dental Therapists Association
• Brotherhood of St Laurence
• Dental Hygienists Association of Australia, Victorian Branch
• Health Issues Centre (Victoria)
• Public Health Association of Australia Inc.
• Rural Workforce Agency, Victoria
• Victorian Aboriginal Cooperative Community Health Organisation
• Victorian Council of Social Services
• Victorian Healthcare Association