Australian Green Party announce new plans for dental care
The Green Party have announced a new universal dental health policy as part of their election campaign.
The leader of the Green Party, Bob Brown, believes that a new universal policy would help to improve standards of oral health, as well as saving millions of dollars in medical costs each year. Mr Brown, a former doctor, said he was aware of the effects of poor oral health, with numerous studies linking oral health issues with a range of serious health issues including an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and strokes.
Currently, waiting lists across Australia are worryingly long and there has been great debate amongst political parties about the structure of dental healthcare. Health experts and dentists across the country have reacted angrily to a lack of coherence both in the current and previous governments and many professionals have criticised the government for not taking dental health seriously.
Bob Brown wants to address the problem of waiting lists, with some 500,000 people currently waiting for dental treatment in Australia. Brown said it was “appalling” that the situation was so bad in 2010 and vowed to improve access to dental services. Senator Brown wants to shake-up the system and create a new scheme using Medicare; he is currently seeking the approval of the other major political parties.
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