3 minute read
The ongoing battle for provider numbers
The DHAA are picking up the pace on their campaign for dental hygienists, oral health therapists and dental therapists to have access to Medicare provider numbers
THE DHAA HAS sought approval from the Federal Health Minister and the Secretary of the Department of Health for dental hygienists, oral health therapists and dental therapists to have access to Medicare provider numbers. We have published a brochure and stories to support our advocacy on this with the campaign title “Bad Mouth - the neglected reality”.
The Bad Mouth campaign
The paper highlights that oral diseases are associated with many chronic medical conditions, poor nutritional status and can affect quality of life through pain, discomfort, speech impairment and social withdrawal.
Launching the campaign publicly in August, DHAA President Cheryl Dey said: “ For generations, our country has neglected oral health and dental services despite evidence indicating they are closely linked to general health and wellbeing. Historically, dentistry adopts a treatment-dominated, invasive and high-tech approach to care that is often expensive.”
The stats don't lie
Statistics show that one in five Australians delays or chooses not to see a dental practitioner due to the cost. Australian consumers pay 58% of their dental costs out of pocket compared to just 12% for pharmaceutical - and only 11% for medical expenses. This disparity in government funding has put regular oral health care out of reach of many. Approximately 60% of older people over 85 years do not have access to dental care. Residents in aged care facilities are at a higher risk for aspiration pneumonia because of bad oral health. In some cases this necessitates acute hospital care and may even lead to death.
Many common oral diseases are preventable and early intervention has a significant positive impact on the quality of life of patients while diminishing the economic burden for society.
Dental hygienists, oral health therapists and dental therapists are an underutilised, yet powerful workforce that could improve the current undesirable situation. We have a strong preventative and health-promotion focus, and should be a key driving force to combat the neglect of oral health and dental services for all Australians.
“Our members are keen and ready to reach out to rural and remote locations, residential aged care facilities and deliver preventative care and early intervention to fill the service gaps. The public’s access to these preventive services is blocked if they wish to utilise their entitlements via government schemes for veterans (DVA) and children (CDBS), or their private health insurance,” Cheryl explains. “Dental hygienists, oral health therapists and dental therapists are among the very few health professional groups that do not have Medicare provider numbers”.
The main message
The paper calls on the government's funding organisations and health service providers to act to:
1. Ensure equity of oral health services for all Australians
2. Shift towards the paradigm of oral disease prevention and health promotion
3. Restore oral health as an integrated element of overall health and general wellbeing
We point out that the first step towards this is for the Federal Government to issue dental hygienists, oral health therapists and dental therapists with a Medicare provider number to ensure public access to these preventive oral health care services in an equitable way.
We are inviting members to help by contacting your local federal MP to discuss how provider numbers may help improve public access to optimal dental care in the community. If you would like to be involved, please email your postcode and suburb name to bill.suen@ dhaa.info. n
Check out the DHAA campaign for yourself
The brochures and supporting information are available to members via the DHAA website - dhaa.info
