Dentists press MPs over dental program

ADA Inc. is urging members to lobby their Federal MPs to express concerns regarding current and proposed dental programs and draw attention to ADA’s DentalAccess proposal. The aim of the campaign is for the MPs to raise the issue with their party or Minister and model a targeted scheme aligned with the key considerations of the DentalAccess proposal.

Features of the DentalAccess proposal include:

•  A targeted, affordable and equitable program that will address the needs of the 30 per cent of Australians who say they cannot access appropriate dental care, largely due to chronic underfunding of public dental services.
• This targeted scheme will direct more funds to treat the extensive needs of disadvantaged Australians rather than rationing resources thinly over the entire population.
•  Personal funding caps will be used rather than narrow schedules of services, with a bias towards preventive and restorative dental care.
•  Extra provision will be made for other needy groups such as chronically ill and special needs patients.
•  Improved funding and direction for community oral health promotion based on individual responsibility, as most oral diseases are almost entirely preventable.