Dental hygienists can treat DVA patients

Dental hygienists can resume treating people eligible under the Department of Veterans Affairs scheme. This follows ADA meeting with Department officers and the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Mr Warren Snowdon.To overcome the logjam that would be caused by funding for preventive dental services being restricted to dentists and dental specialists, the Repatriation Commission and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission determined that services provided by dental hygienists under the direction of a dentist or dental specialist can continue for veteran patients and be legitimately claimed under DVA’s current schedule arrangements. The Department has advised ADA that this “is an interim arrangement only while DVA considers the issue of access to services provided by dental hygienists. DVA will consult with the ADA in considering ongoing arrangements and will be in touch in coming weeks to progress this further”.