VOHA meets Minister Pike

Representatives of the Victorian Oral Health Alliance (VOHA) met Victorian Health Minister Bronwyn Pike on Friday 25 August to seek her Government's commitment to implement a range of measures designed to improve public dental health. These measures were outlined in VOHA's Ideal Dental Health Policy Platform.

VOHA was formed in 2004 in the lead up to the last Federal Election, and campaigned on the basis of agreed positions on areas of need that should be addressed by the Commonwealth. Its current focus is on the Victorian State Election scheduled for 25 November 2006.

The meeting with the Minister emphasised that whilst the Victorian Government had made significant improvements to dental funding since 2003, much more still needs to be done to reduce waiting times to an acceptable level, especially in rural Victoria. Many other measures, including stronger preventive measures were also advocated, in recognition that most dental disease is preventable. Targetted funding for groups with greater need was also advocated, in particular for residents of aged care facilities and Koori communities.

The Minister was supportive of more being done to improve public dental health, but no specific commitments were given.

VOHA is now seeking meetings with other parties and candidates.