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New health plan shows teeth

Posted on February 18, 2009, 8:08am and updated on February 18, 2009 at 8:02 pm

Teeth

Universal dental care has been proposed.

Mount Gambier people expressed mixed views yesterday on a possible free dental health scheme.

A new national health system “with teeth” was proposed on Monday, potentially giving Australians universal access to dental care, regardless of their ability to pay.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission chair, Dr Christine Bennett, announced Denticare Australia as part of the commission’s Healthier Future for all Australians interim report as a work in progress, calling for public response and comments before the final report is due for release in June.

While explaining Denticare Australia would be funded by an increase in the Medicare levy, Dr Bennett added “many people would pay no more than they currently pay for dental care”.

“People could choose a dental health plan with a private health insurer paid for by the levy, or they could opt to rely on public dental health services, for which increased funding would be provided,” she said.

The report claimed despite the 0.75pc taxable income Medicare levy increase, it would be smaller than existing out-of-pocket costs for dental services for many people.

But Mount Gambier residents were unsure if the proposed system would work.

“Medicare should cover dental care because bad teeth affect your health and can even cause heart problems,” Charlie Scott said.

“Why do we need a whole different system?”

Some residents expressed concern over added pressure on local dentists, already stretched with long waiting times to get an appointment.

“Waiting times are already very long. With Denticare more people are going to access dental services and we are going to wait even longer,” Louise Ladlow said.

“Do we have enough dentists to cope with extra patients? They are going to have to look at attracting more dentists to the South East.”

But Jenny Fogarty welcomed the new system after she was recently told she would have to find $2000 to pay for dental treatment.

“I grind my teeth in my sleep and as a result I will have to get fillings done, which will cost $1500, and fork out another $500 for a mouth guard to wear when I go to bed,” Ms Fogarty said.

“I would love it if we had this system because I don’t have private health insurance and I am going to have to pay off the money over the next few months, and with my dad’s help.”

How the proposed Denticare Australia scheme will work:

* Denticare Australia is based on a mixed approach of public and private cover.

* Everyone eligible to pay the Medicare levy would pay an extra 0.75pc of taxable income towards Denticare Australia.

* This levy would replace existing premiums paid for private dental health insurance covering preventative, diagnostic and restorative services and most out-of-pocket costs for these dental services.

* Everyone, regardless of whether they have private health insurance for other health services, could choose either a dental health plan from a private health insurer or rely on expanded public dental services funded by Denticare Australia.

* For people choosing a private dental health plan, Denticare Australia would pay the premium for that plan.
At the outset, the premium payment would be set at a level so that individuals and families are covered for about 85pc of the current costs of private dental services covered under the package.

* Denticare Australia would provide additional funding for public dental services to expand their availability to people choosing to rely on them. There would be no out-of-pocket costs for people using public dental services, but there might still be some waiting times to access care.

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Comments

2 Responses to “New health plan shows teeth”

  1. Dr.basma jawad on February 21st, 2009 8:40 pm 1

    i think its excellent idea ,
    For people :as people will be more educated of how important is the
    yearly check ups ‚and wouldn’t neglect their teeth ‚more than 55% of people i see have Gum problems due to neglecting in clinic proffesional cleaning at least once a year.

    For Dentist : they are the only health professional that doesn’t have any medicare
    payment unlike ‚Gps,Specialists ‚Radiographers,Boold tests,most of times patient not happy to pay check up or consultaion fees if they are paying for fillings, and they barging which is very stressing for dentists,at least now dentist will fell more appreciating given to the consultation and cheack ups

  2. Maurice White on February 27th, 2009 7:26 pm 2

    Even with fluoridation, early diagnosis and treatment prevents major costly treatment later, but without effective preventive dental health education tooth decay and gum disease will still be among the most common diseases with the economic impact of heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

    Tooth decay is easy to prevent but food left on teeth after eating often contains carbohydrate like sugar or starch that is changed to acid demineralisation eventually causing cavities after thousands of meals or snacks. Better dental heath education as in Supertooth and Good Food Friends is needed. http://www.supertooth.org

    Over 11 million of Australians suffer new decay each year, 38% have untreated decay. Approximately $3.7 billion was spent on dental services in the year 2001-02, $4.4 billion in 2003-04 and growing. Only 1.7% on prevention.

    All cavities occur where food is left on teeth after every meal or snack.

    Though more than 95% of trapped food is left packed between teeth after every meal or snack, over 80% of cavities develop inside pits and fissures in grooves on chewing surfaces where the brush cannot reach and there is no access for saliva and fluoride to neutralise acid and remineralise demineralised tooth. Few cavities occur where there is easy access.

    Supertooth shows how not to leave carbohydrate on teeth after eating besides chewing fibre like celery after eating to help saliva dilute trapped sugar or starch, neutralse acid and remineralise demineralised tooth.

    Register with http://www.supertooth.org to get occaisional updates and tell others so that better tooth care skills prvent demineralisation and even remineralise tooth.

    Even chewing fibre like clery after eating helps saliva dilute carbohydrate, neuralise acid and reminerakise demineralised tooth. However better easier and more convenient personal tooth care is comming. Register with Supertooth to get the news first.