The important thing that Aussies have stopped doing amid the cost of living crisis

Only one in three Australians visit the dentist regularly because the cost prevents them from doing so. Meanwhile, the dental association is calling on the federal government to extend subsidies.

Two in three Australians now only visit the dentist when they have a problem, as the cost of living continues to rise and calls are made for expanded subsidies for dentists.

A survey of 25,000 people about their oral health found that 61 percent had postponed dental care in the past 12 months, with affordability being the reason in 63 percent of cases.

This represents a 17 percent increase in the number of people postponing their regular check-ups over the past 13 years, while costs have increased by 12 percent compared to 2022.

One in three people has suffered from toothache, gum pain, a swollen face or an infection in the past year. These problems are more common in older people.

The Australian Dental Association is calling for government subsidies to be extended to older Australians.

According to Scott Davis, president of the association, people are less likely to have complicated and expensive dental treatments in the future if they visit the dentist regularly.

“Government-funded programs for our most vulnerable populations would go a long way towards making this happen for millions of Australians for whom visiting the dentist is not currently a financial option,” he said.

Survey figures show that only seven percent of people have visited the dentist in the past six months, while 10 percent have done so in the past six to 12 months.

Nearly half of patients sought treatment for their problems, but about one in four did not because of cost barriers to treatment.

“The current system of government support for them is flawed: eligible people spend years on waiting lists for public dentists to get their first appointment. They often spend years in pain,” Dr. Davis said.

‘Hundreds of thousands of Australians are suffering in this way.’

The dental association wants the health minister to introduce a seniors’ scheme into Medicare, which the Parliamentary Budget Office estimates would cost $15.7 billion over ten years.

“This is cheap compared to trying to provide all Australians with dental care, which costs about five times as much, at $77 billion a decade, according to Treasury costings.”

Children are already offered subsidised dental treatment under the Dental Benefits Act. There are provisions to extend this to seniors, indigenous people, people on low incomes and people with disabilities.