The sorry state of public waiting times for dental care in Victoria
The map shows that vulnerable Victorians with shocking dental problems are being forced to
wait in some case up to 48 months to see a public dentist.
ADAVB CEO Associate Professor Matt Hopcraft, said that Dental Health Week (6-12 August), was the perfect time to shed light on the sorry state of public dental waiting list times and for both State and Federal governments to support an increase in funding.
“Although cuts to Federal funding have had an impact, the reality is that this accounts for less than 10 per cent of the patients treated through the public system and is not the main reason waiting lists have increased so dramatically in recent years.
“At current funding levels, only 16 per cent of people who are eligible to access public dental care in Victoria were able to see a dentist in any given year - that is only 400,000 who get much needed treatment each year out of the 2.5 million Victorians who are eligible.
“For those stuck on a waiting list, there is an average waiting time for general dental care of 19.7 months which is just too long.
“People who are eligible for public dental care may have to endure pain, have difficulty speaking and eating, miss school, struggle to find a job, or develop other serious health problems in that time.
View interactive map and find your electorate: advocacy.adavb.org
Write to your local MP and tell them the waiting times are unacceptable. The map includes contact details for every MP in Victoria.
- Are you a public dental patient waiting for care or are you concerned about a friend or family member? Use this template letter to share your story with your MP.
- Are you a public or private dentist, or other health professional, concerned about vulnerable Victorian's access to care? Use this template template letter to share your concerns and urge your MP to take action.
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