Australians Hoping for Quick Treatment After Dental Cash Injection
Thousands of Australians waiting for dental treatment are hoping for waiting lists to be tackled quickly following news of a significant cash injection for dental services across the country.
Last week, Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek, confirmed additional funding worth around $500 million over the next three years for dental services. The aim of the cash boost is to reduce waiting lists and enable more people to see a dentist without having to join a waiting list or travel several miles for treatment.
Residents currently on the waiting lists for MonashLink Community Health Services clinics in Ashburton and Clayton can expect an eight month wait for treatment, however, there are hopes that waiting times will be slashed as a result of additional funding from the government. Despite the good news, however, Gregg Nicholls, chief executive of MonashLink, said that it was largely unknown how the new budget would affect local services at this time.
Nicholls said he was waiting for more information about the sum of money the service would receive before he could make any announcements about the future of the service, but suggested that extended opening hours could be a possibility at the Clayton clinic.
Mr Nicholls also welcomed news that the government is investing $10 million into preventative measures to try and reduce rates of decay and gum disease and encourage people to take better care of their teeth and gums.
Matthew Hopcraft, president of the Victoria branch of the Australian Dental Association said that the funding was excellent news, but there was doubt surrounding the abolition of the Medicare Chronic Diseases Dental Scheme.
Join this Discussion
