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Victory
This petition is closed
$4 billion national dental package announced

$4 billion national dental package announced

Victory
This petition is closed
50 Supporters

CPSA N.
started this petition to
Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Health, Australia, Wayne Swan, Treasurer Australia
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek announced a dental package on 29 August 2012 that will target children, low income adults and the dental workforce to expand service to rural and regional areas. A positive step to addressing one of the greatest areas of health inequality within Australia!

Oral health is one of the greatest areas of inequality in Australia.

The current public dental system is so minimal that it equates to poor dentistry for poor people and this needs to change.

People from lower socioeconomic groups are the most disadvantaged by the underfunding of public dental services - they are likely to have fewer teeth, more decay and suffer greater social impacts on their quality of life as a result of oral conditions.

The waiting list currently stands at 500,000 and this can be eliminated through a real commitment to dental health.

Australia has one of the lowest standards of oral health among OECD countries. Dental health is not inferior to general health and the Australian Government needs to act now.

The cost of poor oral health to the economy is between $1.3 billion and $2 billion annually - the Australian Government cannot afford to not act.
Posted (Updated )