Australians Unhappy about the Cost of Dental Care
According to a new report Australians are unhappy about the amount of time they have to wait for the dental care and the cost of dental treatment. Patients were also unhappy with waiting lists for GP and specialist medical services.
The report, which was compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, revealed that most people were happy with the amount of time their doctors and dentists spent with them and the standard of care, however, many were unhappy with the cost of treatment and the lengthy waiting lists.
The study found that 15 percent of participants felt that they had to wait too long to see a GP, while 25 percent of people put off dental appointments due to the cost. 7 percent of people avoided having a scan or pathology test as a result of the cost and 12 percent delayed seeing a specialist for the same reason.
Carol Bennett, chief executive of the Consumers Health Forum, said that the government should be concerned about the number of people put off seeing a dentist or doctor as a result of cost. Often, saving money in the short-term by avoiding tests, check-ups and routine examinations, contributes to a higher risk of complex problems, which are much more expensive to treat.
Bennett added that figures relating to dental access were particularly alarming and said that she hoped reforms in the dental care system would be introduced to make affordable care more accessible.
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