State Government Increase Dental Funding by $200 Million in Victoria
The state government has pledged to invest more than $200 million into dental services in Victoria over the course of the next three years.
The news comes after figures show a dramatic drop in the number of dental visits in the state in recent months and statistics show that waiting times have increased significantly in the last year. The average waiting time for an appointment is now over 12 months and the number of dental visits has fallen by 200,000 in the first quarter, which represents a reduction of 20 percent.
Health minister Jill Hennessy said that the situation is a direct result of reduced funding from the federal government. The state was promised more than $200 million over a three year period and after just a year, this was reduced to $38.5 million in the new budget.
Earlier this week, Ms Hennessey promised to inject more than $200 million into the system to fund new equipment and improve access to services. More than $3 million will be spent on new technology and equipment, including more than 70 new state of the art dental chairs, 17 new X-ray machines and 25 sterilising units.
Ms Hennessey accused the federal government of breaking their promise and said that dental care was a shared responsibility for both federal and state governments. In total, the state will add $207 million in the next three year period.
New figures also suggest that rates of dental disease are high in parts of Victoria and this is largely due to problems with access to services. Statistics from ABS show that in the poorest areas one in five people who needed dental treatment were unable to see a dentist.
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