Fact Sheet 3 - Victoria’s growth corridors need more access to public dental care Recommendation: ADAVB proposes the establishment of new public dental care services, or expansion of current services, in areas with rapidly expanding populations, such as the cities of Casey, Hume and Wyndham, among others. These areas have few local services and a growing need for dental care. Did you know?
Victoria’s population is growing at a rate of 1.9 %, or about 100,000 people annually However, populations in some parts of Victoria e.g. Casey, Hume and Wyndham, are growing at a much faster rate, between 2.3% and 7.8% per year These areas have below average access to local dental care services, and the rapidly growing population will only worsen this problem (see Table 1) One solution is to refurbish and expand existing clinics, which will improve their ability to achieve maximum efficiency and meet the growing need For more information on access to dental care services in Victoria see: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/modelling/planning/lga.htm
Table 1: Limited access to dental services in Victorian Local Government Areas with high population growth rates1
Victoria * Casey Hume * Wyndham *
Population growth rate 2010-11 (%) 1.5 2.3 2.3 7.8
Estimated dental service sites per 1,000 population @ 30 June 2011 0.21 0.12 0.07 0.11
These Local Government Areas (LGAs) were ranked in the top 10 in Australia for largest population growth 2010‐2011
How does this affect Victorians?
1
If you live in an area with a rapidly growing population and a limited number of dental clinics, you may have to wait a long time to see a public dentist for basic dental care, or travel a long distance to a clinic in another area If a person waits a long time to receive basic dental care then the chances of getting tooth decay and needing expensive and complex dental work increases. Any existing problems may also become worse
Department of Health, Victoria Australia, 2012 Local Government Area Profiles, available at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/modelling/planning/lga.htm, accessed 22/07/14
What is the ADAVB doing?
ADAVB is lobbying the Government and State politicians – we are asking them to prioritise the funding of capacity-building projects to increase access to dental services in areas with limited access and rapidly increasing demand.
What can you do?
Write to your local politicians, the State Minister for Health and the State Shadow Health Minister. Urge them to focus on expanding public dental services in areas that have limited access to care and rapidly growing populations.
Click here to send an email to Victorian politicians about the importance of improving the oral health of Victoria’s children: http://www.adavb.net/?TabId=1395#ADAVB-the-voice-of-dentistry-inVictoria-0110110100000011
Electoral comment: see http://electoralcomment.adavb.org