2022-04-13
The Greens have today announced a plan to fully fund dental health treatments and services including for First Nations peoples, who statistically experience much higher rates of oral disease than non-Indigenous people in Australia.
The announcement includes an investment of $77.6 billion over a decade into free dental care for all children and adults under Medicare.
First Nations people would be entitled to access clinically relevant dental services for free, including general dental, orthodontics, and oral surgeries. Under the plan, people will still be able to choose their dentist and routine and therapeutic dental services will be bulk-billed or rebated.
First Nations peoples are much more likely than non-Indigenous people to experience dental issues like cavities, missing teeth and gum disease. They are also less likely to seek or receive dental care when they need it.
This can be largely attributed to social determinants of health like poverty and racism, which are a direct consequence of colonialism in this country.
Quotes attributable to Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John:
“It is a national shame that the oral health of First Nations people in this country is consistently poorer than that of non-Indigenous people.
“We must close this gap as a matter of priority by addressing key issues of accessibility, cost and poor cultural awareness among service providers.
“The Greens are the only party with a commitment to invest in First Nations dental health as part of our broader plan to bring dental into Medicare.”
Quotes attributable to Yamatji-Noongar woman and Greens Senator Dorinda Cox:
“Recent data shows that 40 percent of First Nations people do not go to the dentist when they need to, with a large proportion citing cost as the biggest factor.
“6 percent of First Nations people aged 15 and over have complete tooth loss, compared to 4 percent in the non-Indigenous population.
“These woeful statistics extend to First Nations children, who also experience poor oral outcomes at
disproportionate rates. Data shows that almost a quarter of First Nations children under 14 have
never seen a dentist in their lives. First Nations kids under the age of four are hospitalised for dental
conditions at 1.7 times the rate of non-Indigenous children the same age.
“Not only does oral disease in and of itself cause suffering, it also contributes to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung conditions and adverse pregnancy outcomes among First
Nations peoples.
“In a developed country like Australia, that is absolutely shameful. These are unacceptable statistics that show just how badly successive governments have neglected the health of First Nations
communities.
“We must urgently improve the rates of oral health among First Nations peoples. That starts with properly investing in public health instead of pumping taxpayer funds into the dying fossil fuel industry or tax cuts for the ultra rich.”
Read our full policy:
Policy: Bring Dental into Medicare