Dental Health Council announced

The establishment of the National Advisory Council on Dental Health was announced today.

Headed by former senior public servant Ms Mary Murnane, the Council will provide expert advice on dental health issues. The Council will also look at the current mix and coverage of dental services in order to provide advice on future needs and priorities for future reform. ADA President Dr Shane Fryer will sit on the Council with:

• Deputy Chair, Professor John Spencer, former director, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health;


• Professor Johann de Vries, Australian Council of Dental Schools;


• Dr Martin Dooland, South Australian Public Dental Health Service;


• Prue Power, Australian Healthcare and Hospital Association;


• Adam Longshore, Bupa;


• Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine, Australian Council of Social Service;


• Tony McBride, Chair, Australian Health Care Reform Alliance;


• Professor Hal Swerissen, La Trobe Faculty Health Science;


• Julie Barker, President, Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists Association;


• Dr Jenny May, Chair, rural health expert.

In a statement, Dr Fryer said: "The ADA hopes that the advice from the Council, which brings together representatives from public and private dental services and the education sector, will set the platform for far reaching and sustainable reforms for public oral health care service delivery in the future”.

The formation of the Council is part of the agreement between the Commonwealth Government and the Greens.