Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the interim report of the Dental Services in Australia Select Committee inquiry on the provision of and access to dental services in Australia, together with the Hansard record of proceedings and documents presented to the committee, and I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

The Senate Select Committee into the Provision of and Access to Dental Services in Australia conducted an extensive survey to gather insights from the community regarding their experiences. I am thrilled to be able to share with the Senate that an astounding 17,000 people actively participated, underscoring the urgency to transform oral health in this country. I want to thank every single one of the, in fact, over 17,000 people who took the time to complete the committee's surveys and share their experience with us as a committee. I also want to thank the fabulous committee staff and secretariat that enabled this interim report to be created in such a comprehensive manner. Thank you so much for your time and for your energies.

The survey results showed that 98 per cent of the community supports the notion of expanding dental care services—critically, the notion of expanding free dental care services. The resounding message from the community is that a significant proportion of individuals only seek dental treatment in emergency situations. Escalating cost-of-living pressures are increasingly causing people to delay dental visits. The lack of dental coverage within Medicare has far-reaching consequences for our broader healthcare system. Preventable dental conditions contribute to some 83,000 hospitalisations annually, and a staggering 750,000 general practitioner appointments each year are attributed to dental problems. Inclusion of dental care within Medicare has the potential to reduce hospitalisations and make GP appointments more available for everyone.

Investing in prevention and broadening the scope of Medicare to encompass dental care has widespread support from the Australian community and from advocacy and healthcare organisations. The committee has heard submissions from people across the country, and I will share with the Senate just some of those stories now. There was one that really stuck out for me, and I will quote it directly:

I was quoted $8960 … there was no way I was able to pay … My teeth are extremely damaged, decayed, and another tooth has fallen out. I have pain in my mouth almost daily … I am not able to eat all foods … Currently, my wife and I are saving for a house … At this point it would be a house deposit—

a deposit for a home—

or fixing my teeth, not both.

…   …   …

Making access to dental care free would have a tremendous positive impact on my life. I would be able to rid myself of pain, sleeping troubles, and the shame around my teeth.

Another story shared with us says:

I began my apprenticeship in 2016, and like many adult apprentices, I struggled to make ends meet. The meager income I received barely covered my living expenses, leaving me with no room for additional costs such as dental care.

…   …   …

Those years of forced neglect have now culminated in a diagnosis of Advanced Late-Stage Gum Disease, I am only 30 years old. I discovered this 6 months ago, after saving for three months to afford the cost of a check-up and clean which cost $290 including 1 x-ray. The dentist referred me to a periodontist gum specialist who had a waiting list of 6 months. That appointment cost $350 just for the initial 30-minute consultation—

$350, after a six-month wait, for a 30-minute initial consultation.

I ate 1 meal a day for 2 months to save for the appointment and lost 11kgs in that time. I was already thin to begin with, now I just look—

emaciated.

The cost of treating my gum disease is staggering. Restoration of the gum is expected to cost upwards of $2,500 for just one area that has gum recession. Facing this reality, I have come to the heartbreaking realization that I cannot afford this treatment.

…   …   …

Many Australians, especially those in low-income and disadvantaged situations, face similar challenges in accessing affordable dental care. The consequences of neglecting dental health can be severe, impacting not only our oral health but also our overall well-being, self-esteem, and quality of life. I'm becoming increasingly depressed and suffer from anxiety.

These are just two of the multitude of stories that have already been shared by Australians with this committee.

The evidence to this inquiry so far indicates that Australia's public dental and oral healthcare system is fragmented, under-resourced and overstretched. Australians are paying more for dental care than people in many other countries, but with poorer health outcomes than in many of those countries, and access to dental care services remains deeply inequitable.

The problems are clearly defined and well understood, and a number of the possible solutions have been articulated over the recent decades. But, despite this, very little has changed. Health organisations, the Australian Dental Association—and I acknowledge that they are here in the chamber today—peak bodies, think tanks and individuals who have submitted to the inquiry have advocated for systemic reform. They are urging the Commonwealth and the states and territories to implement radical reforms to the way oral and dental health care is funded and coordinated. It is time for transformative, systemic reform. The time to bring dental care fully into Medicare has come.

The Greens have long been calling for this reform. In 2012 the Green secured dental for kids to be brought into Medicare. Now we're pushing to ensure that everyone in our community has access to free dental services, prioritising prevention and treating oral conditions before they turn into serious illnesses. And, with that, I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.