Government announces private health insurance community consultations

The ADA welcomes the Federal Government's announcement that it will commence round table discussions with consumers about the future shape of private health insurance (PHI).  The ADA, along with its State Branches, has lobbied the government for years to bring PHIs to account and demand more transparency and efficiency, particularly in the cost of policies, access and preferred provider models.

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Berwick dental practice wins environmental award

Congratulations to the team at Beaconsfield Dental, who recently won this year’s Casey Cardinia Environmental Sustainability Award.

Principal Dr Robert Panjkov had the Berwick building designed to make it environmentally friendly and sustainable, resulting in a number of environmental features. 

They include 60 solar panels, capable of generating up to 100 kWh a day. The building has double glazing, full insulation, solar hot water, LED lighting, and water tanks holding 10,000 litres for the garden and toilet flush. With five dentists on staff, the practice also has ISO11143 compliant amalgam separators.

The garden has more than 500 indigenous plants – including Victoria’s floral emblem, pink heath - to complement the adjacent Akoonah Park.

UK call for Sugar Tax

A UK public health body has called for a 10-20% “sugar tax” on soft drinks and moves to limit the marketing and promotion of sugary foods to children.

Public Health England’s report says: “The environmental drivers of poor diets we face are just too big. Implementing a broad, structured program of parallel measures to reduce the impact of influences that increase consumption, reduce the sugar content of food and drinks, and support people in making healthier choices through information and education, would be likely to achieve meaningful reductions in sugar intakes across the population”
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The organisation is calling for a 10-20% tax on sugary drinks which are the main single source of sugar for school-aged children. It also wants restrictions on marketing and promotions that target children directly, better labelling an overhaul of public facilities, and appropriate messages.

Meanwhile in an opinion piece in The Otago Daily Times, the newspaper questions the New Zealand Government’s childhood obesity plan, noting that “a sugar tax (is) clearly an unpalatable option” and “the Government must find other ways to pressure the (processed food and beverage) industry to make meaningful changes”.

National Oral Health Survey

The dental hygiene habits, oral health and overall wellbeing of Australians will be captured in the second decennial National Adult Oral Health Survey, which will be undertaken by the University of Adelaide’s Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH).

The draft National Oral Health Plan 2015-2024 calls for an adult and child oral health survey to be conducted every 10 years to assess the condition of Australians’ oral health, and inform dental policy makers, professional bodies and the public.

ARCPOH's Director Professor Marco Peres said that about “15,000 people will be interviewed in order to gather information on socioeconomic status, dental and health service use, oral health behaviours, and other determinants of oral health”.

Oral health is directly linked to general health and wellbeing, and his team is eager to commence this important national survey, he added.

ACCC concerns about complexity of private health insurance

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has released a report on the private health insurance industry, highlighting concerns about the impact of complex information on consumers and the market.

The ACCC report contains three key observations:

• There are market failures in the private health insurance industry which reduce consumers’ ability to compare policies and make informed choices about their future medical needs.
• Existing regulatory settings can change consumers’ incentives in purchasing health insurance. As insurers respond to market demands for affordable policies, there are greater risks of unexpected out of pocket costs for consumers.
• Current practices by some insurers are at risk of breaching the consumer laws.

“The ACCC is concerned that the complexity of private health insurance policies can affect consumers’ ability to make informed decisions about the policy that best suits their needs,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said. “Whether a consumer is purchasing health insurance for the first time, or reviewing and renewing a policy after many years, they have to navigate through a range of issues to make an informed decision.”

Mouthguard could have prevented surgery for footballer

Surgery required by Newcastle Jets’ goalkeeper Mark Birighitti could have been avoided if he had worn a mouthguard, according to Dr Peter Alldritt, Chair of ADA’s Oral Health Committee.

In the A-League match, Birighitti lost several teeth when he was tackled by Sydney striker Shane Smeltz on Saturday night. The striker’s foot caught the 24-year-old goalkeeper full in the face.  ADAVB wishes Birighitti well for recovery from his serious injuries.

ADA and Sports Medicine Australia earlier this year joined forces to seek compulsory wearing of  mouthguards in all contact sports. The wearing of mouthguards was a feature of this year’s Dental Health Week.

ADAVB Member Benefits: Free confidential counselling and support

Did you know that ADAVB members have access to free counselling and support? This is provided via the ADAVB's member assistance program, Optum, in accordance with the association's commitment to providing supportive services for members.

The service lets you access professional advice to help cope with life's difficult issues. You can choose between face to face or online counselling during work hours. Alternatively you can use phone counselling 24 hours.

You can get help with:
- relationship issues
- alcohol and drug issues
- concerns about children
- anxiety and depression
- grief and loss
- managing conflict
- handling work issues

Log in to adavb.net with your member number and visit My membership/Member Assistance Program to find out more.

ABS Nutrition Survey - soft drinks still a concern

New research released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that on average almost half (42%) of Australians over the age of two years still drink a can of soft drink a day*. This is a slight decrease from 49% in the 1995 National Nutrition Survey, however is still far too high, with teenage males the most prevalent consumers.

Consuming a can of soft drink a day amounts to 54 grams of sugar per day or almost 20 kilograms per year. This excess sugar consumption significantly increases the risk of tooth decay and erosion, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

The recent LiveLighter campaign supported by the Australian Dental Association Vic Branch highlighted the risks of associated toxic fat build up due to excessive sugar consumption. Soft drink consumers should also watch their wallets as well as their weight - a can of soft drink a day will cost you $1095 a year.

* Of those who consumed a 'sweetened beverage' on the day prior to interview the median amount consumed was equivalent to one regular 375 ml can. Sweetened beverage refers to cordials, soft drinks, juices, flavoured mineral waters and sports drinks.

Further information:
ABS Australian Health Survey 2011- 2012 Consumption of sweetened beverages

Fizzy drinks take toll on toddlers' teeth

Toddlers as young as 18 months are having rotting teeth pulled out, and in some cases older children are having all of their baby teeth removed in major operations.

Dr Sophie Beaumont, a dentist at the Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne, said some children were presenting with blackened teeth and pus-filled gums, suspected to be caused by soft drinks and high-sugar diets.

Frequent fizzy drinks and other drinks high in sugar such as cordials or fruit juices were the main culprit for large-scale decay, she said.

The Australian Dental Association's Prof David Manton said as many as 1000 children each year were having a general anaesthetic to have rotten teeth taken out, of whom 10% were then returning later to have more removed because their diet had not improved.

Almost 165,000 children received dental care from Dental Health Services Victoria in the past financial year, many of them for tooth decay.

Meanwhile the ADA and the Dietitians Association of Australia have joined forces to help promote National Nutrition Week, saying that not only are vegetables a crucial part of a healthy diet, but they’re good for your teeth as well.

Can you help refugees in need of dental care?

TIMA Melbourne is looking for volunteer dentists and dental assistants to help with their volunteer day on Saturday 24 Oct. 8am to 5pm, at North Richmond Community Health Centre. The patients who will be seen are of refugee background. 

If you can spare some time, or for further information, please contact Zhi Han at TIMA.melbourne@gmail.com

TIMA is the Tzu Chi International Medical Association, originating in Taiwan and established in Australia in 2002. The program provides dental services to newly arrived refugees in need of dental care. 

Dentists support LiveLighter Campaign

Did you know that the average Australian soft drink lover guzzles a 375ml can of soft drink every day? Per year, that’s almost 15kg of excess sugar your body doesn’t need.

LiveLighter Victoria has launched their latest ad campaign which highlights the serious health effects of regular sugary drink consumption.

Instead of reaching for a sugary drink, follow these tips:

• Avoid going down the soft drink aisle at the supermarket and beware of the specials at the checkout and service stations.
• If you're eating out, don't go with the default soft drink – see what other options there are, or just ask for water.
• Carry a water bottle, so you don't have to buy a drink if you're thirsty.
• Be wary of health or nutrition claims on drinks. Producers try to make their beverages sound healthier than they are, so check the amount of sugar on the nutrition panel and consider the size of the bottle.

The Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch (ADAVB) is proud to support this important initiative.

• In addition to the effects of sugary drinks on general health, they also cause damage to your teeth.
• Tap water is a great choice instead of a sugary drink. It’s good for your health, and it’s cheap.
• Good oral health is an important part of overall general health, ADAVB is therefore very supportive of the LiveLighter Campaign.

Watch the advertisement or visit the LiveLighter website for more information.

Find out how much sugar you’re drinking with this handy online calculator.

Information sourced from https://livelighter.com.au/

ADAVB Member Benefits: Access to the latest book releases and journal articles

ADAVB members have FREE access to an extensive range of the latest journals and books as well as FREE assistance to locate the latest published research articles - via the ADAVB Reading Room.

Journal Collection List 

The ADAVB Reading Room maintains a dedicated, specialist collection of dental journals. The list can be viewed by logging into adavb.net and going to My ADAVB/CPD and Training/Reading Room. If you can't visit the Reading Room located at Level 3, 10 Yarra Street, South Yarra, you can send your article request to the Knowledge Management Officer and as a free member service, a copy of the article will be emailed to you.

New Books for Review

Best Practices in Endodontics: A Desk Reference 
Schwartz, Richard S. and Canakapalli, Venkat.

Orofacial Pain and Headache, Second Edition
Sharav, Yair and Benoliel, Rafael.

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Review: A Study Guide
Lam, Din and Laskin, Daniel.

Soft Tissue Management: The Restorative Perspective - Putting Concepts into Practice
Raigrodski, Ariel J.

Fundamentals of Implant Dentistry, Volume 1: Prosthodontic Principles
Beumer, John III and Faulkner, Robert F. and Sha, Kumar C. and Moy, Peter K.

Contact the Knowledge Management Officer
Tel: (03) 8825 4618
Email: reading.room@adavb.org

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