Australian government announces policies to improve oral health

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The new Australian government has announced that new measures will be introduced to improve access to dental services across the country.

Julia Gillard has announced possible new strategies to raise standards of oral health across the nation. Oral health has become a key policy, as the Labour party were forced to agree to radical new measures as part of the negotiations which took place after the election vote. The Green Party were insistent on the inclusion of a universal dental policy and pledged to form a stable government with the Labour Party on the basis that dental services would be made a priority.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon is currently considering a policy which would expand the current voucher system. At the moment, teenage patients receive vouchers to help fund dental treatment. The voucher system could be expanded to include patients of all ages to help with the cost of dental treatment; the new system could provide financial assistance to families with an income of up to $110,000 per year.

Significant changes to the dental system could come into play before next year’s budget, but there are still discrepancies surrounding the funding of dental care. The Green Party wanted to introduce a new universal dental care system, which would cost around 4.3 billion dollars. However, the Labour Party are not keen on changing the current Medicare system and discussions are continuing between the two parties and other independent candidates involved in the new government.

Oral health has become an increasingly contentious subject in Australia, where some patients awaiting dental care are being forced to join waiting lists of hundreds of people. People in some rural areas are waiting more than two years for routine treatment.

Further announcements about dental policies are set to be made in the near future.

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