Mixed fortunes for Tasmanians
Statistics have revealed mixed results for the public dental system in Tasmania.
Over the course of the last twelve months alone, there has been a sixty percent increase in the number of Tasmanians on waiting lists for dental care; currently, around eleven thousand patients are waiting for treatment in the state. However, the last year has also seen waiting times drop significantly, so although a large number of people are on waiting lists, the time they have to wait for their treatment is decreasing steadily.
Dr David Butler of the Australian Dental Association said the figures showed the public dental system was achieving a degree of success in Tasmania, with more people being treated than previous years. The waiting time has now fallen from 29 months to 21 months and the trend looks set to continue. Dr Butler also said that once patients are in the public dental system they can then be invited back for routine check-ups, which will help to prevent the need for complex care in the future and will promote high standards of oral health.
Despite the decrease in the length of waiting times, many patients will be frustrated and angered that they have to join waiting lists that already have hundreds, if not thousands, of names. A wait of twenty one months for routine treatment is simply not acceptable and patient support groups and opposition ministers have called for improved standards of care. Patients who need treatment should not be forced to wait for it, as their condition will inevitably get worse and it may contribute to further problems, which will end up being more costly and more painful for the patient.
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