Waiting lists reach over 100,000 in New South Wales, Australia
More than 100,000 people are waiting to see a dentist in New South Wales, Australia.
According to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald, over 100,000 people are on waiting lists and the average waiting time to get an appointment has increased to 460 days.
Addressing the issue on TV, Sky News Australia commentator, Caroline Di Russo, said that there was a real risk that people will develop health issues that could have been avoided if they were able to access regular appointments. Like many healthcare and medical services, dentistry has been hit hard by the pandemic, with fewer appointments available for patients since 2020.
Ms Di Russo stressed that prevention is always the best course of action but in many cases, people are not able to make appointments for routine checks. Patients are also finding it difficult to see a dentist when they have minor issues, which increases the risk of dental problems developing into more complex conditions and diseases. Backlogs are growing and there could be a surge in the demand for emergency appointments in the future due to the fact that patients can’t get the care they need for minor issues.
Increased waiting times for public dental services could leave patients in New South Wales facing difficult decisions. While some may be able to travel or pay for private dental treatment, there will be many that cannot afford dental bills. Patients who can’t access care may be forced to try and manage pain or they may consider attempting their own treatment. Dentists in many countries have experienced a rise in DIY dentistry since the start of the pandemic.
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