By Goya Dmytryshchak
People in the Altona electorate are waiting more than two years for public dental health care, figures obtained under freedom of information show.
The Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch obtained data that shows IPC Health in Altona Meadows and Hoppers Crossing had one of the state’s longest average waiting times for general dental treatment.
The waiting time was 27.9 months for routine care including examination, cleaning, fillings, extractions and root canals. There was an average wait of 22.1 months for routine provision of dentures.
The clinics, which provide discounted dental care for people with healthcare cards, have 9175 people on a central waiting list.
The Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch (ADAVB) obtained the data through an FoI request to Health Services Victoria.
Statewide, the average wait was 19.7 months for general dental care and 17.1 months for denture care.
ADAVB chief executive Matt Hopcraft said people eligible for public dental care might endure pain, have difficulty speaking and eating, miss school, struggle to find jobs or develop other serious health problems.
“We know that poor oral health is one of the strongest indicators of inequality and yet the waiting time for general dental care has increased 67 per cent since 2014-15,” he said.
The association is calling for additional annual funding of $40million over five years, lifting current funding from $240million up to about $440million.
It is also calling for private-public partnerships with a focus on growth corridors of Melbourne and high-demand areas.
“At current funding levels, only 16 per cent of people who are eligible to access public dental care in Victoria were able to see a dentist in any given year,” Mr Hopcraft said.
