This week the Parliamentary Budget Office released costings for a Greens plan to add dental to Medicare.
On the face of it, the fact that a major branch of healthcare is just not a part of the public health system might be surprising to many.
But adding it now, according to the costings would mean billions of dollars in new government spending. The Australian Dental Association says we don’t have the number of dentists required to do it.
Greens Senator Jordan Steele-John makes the case for adding dental to Medicare on The Briefing:
Jordan Steele-John, Greens Senator for Western Australia, said the history of dental and Medicare is shrouded in mystery.
“Teeth are treated as not part of the body because there is an underlying belief in politics and in some parts of the community that your oral health is a reflection of your moral health. That if you have bad teeth it’s because you’ve made bad choices and therefore it’s easier for politicians to not cover,” he said.
Steele-John said that 60 per cent of people in Australia delay needing dental care because of the cost. He said this results in people living with ongoing pain.
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