Dental Taskforce Launched in New South Wales

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A dental health taskforce has been launched in New South Wales to identify problem area and find solutions to improve standards of oral healthcare in underserved regions.

According to Monaro John Barilaro, standards of care are much lower in areas outside of Sydney and more needs to be done to improve access to good dental care for people living in other areas of the state. Mr Barilaro said that there was a desperate need for close work with the Federal Government and the dental health taskforce will now work to develop a New South Wales Dental Health Action Plan.

Bernard Rupasinghe, spokesman for the Australian Dental Association, said that the main issue was a lack of funding for emergency and acute dental care. Since Federal funding was pulled by the Howard government in 1996, state governments have made no effort to make up the difference and as a result, standards of oral healthcare have slipped.

Mr Rupasinghe added that substantial Federal funding would be required for the improvement of oral health services.

 

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