The Government has proposed improvements to public dental service access for adults through a National Partnership Agreement with state and territory governments.
To further boost access to dental services for children, the Government plans to work with the Department of Human Services to support eligible children to access crucial dental health services through the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). There are also plans to undertake a statutory review of the Dental Health Benefits Act 2008.
“The Australian Dental Industry Association’s (ADIA) vision is an industry that empowers oral health professionals to advance the health and well-being of all Australians. Though there is always room for more improvement, ADIA sees the Government’s plan for dental services as a strong step in the direction of securing this vision,” said Mr Kym De Britt, ADIA Chief Executive Officer.
The Federal Government also announced that in 2019-20, it will provide $107.8 million to extend the existing National Partnership Agreement on Public Dental Services for Adults to 30 June 2020. This ensures additional public dental services are supported, while the Government and the States and Territories discuss funding arrangements for the future.
“Ensuring that more adults and children have access to dental services is a benefit for the entire dental industry and will assist our members in growing sustainable businesses,” said Mr De Britt.
The Government proposes to have 42.1% of eligible children accessing essential dental health services through the CDBS by 2023. The target for 2019 is 37.8%.
source: www.adia.org.au
