Better dental care is in States' hands - associations say

Six peak organisations concerned with dental health in Australia have come together to write to Premiers and Chief Ministers, urging them to sign the National Partnership Agreement with the Commonwealth to allow significant additional Federal funds to be allocated to public dental health services. The six are the Australian Dental Association, the Australian Healthcare and Hospital Association, the Australian Council of Social Service, the Public Health Association of Australia, the National Rural Health Alliance and the Australian Health Care Reform Alliance.
“Dental care is one of the most under-funded areas of the Australian health systems. But hopes for a much better dental care system are being severely threatened by States’ refusing to accept the Federal Government’s offer of very large increases in funding,” a spokesman for the six said. Tomorrow’s meeting of the Council of Australian Governments provides an opportunity for Premiers, Chief Ministers and the Prime Minister to signal their agreement to proceeding collaboratively down the path to better oral health care, the spokesman added.