Calls for free dental care for seniors as hospitalisations surge

ABC NEWS (Australia)

As cost-of-living pressures rise, one thing dropping off the priority list for some, is visiting the dentist. An increasing number of older Australians are ending up in hospital for preventable dental treatment. The Australian dental association says the answer is for the government to fund a senior’s dental benefits scheme.

Transcript

00:00Pensioner Vicki McCaig can now brush her teeth without pain.

00:06For two years, the 71-year-old grandmother couldn't afford to see a dentist.

00:12You never have that much money to play around with, so my teeth wasn't a priority.

00:18I was getting lots of pain, lots of sensitivity in my gums and bleeding.

00:25Luckily, Vicki was accepted into a trial of a senior's dental benefits scheme.

00:30Her teeth were fixed for free and she avoided a trip to hospital.

00:35Extremely lucky. I mean, how many times has something like this offered?

00:39That's looking very good around there.

00:41The Australian Dental Association is calling on the government

00:44to introduce a senior's dental benefits scheme.

00:47Anybody on a health care card or pension card that's over 65 years old

00:51is able to access a government-funded scheme,

00:54similar to the child dental scheme that's running at the moment.

00:56About 16,000 over-65s are hospitalised each year for dental treatment

01:02and that's predicted to rise to almost 23,000 by 2028.

01:07The idea of a senior's dental benefits scheme isn't new.

01:10It was recommended by the Aged Care Royal Commission.

01:13But years later, and with the cost of living rising, there's still been no commitment.

01:18The Federal Health Minister says there's no plans to change the way dental's funded any time soon.

01:23It's desperate and it's been desperate for decades.

01:26Dental photos of nursing home patients graphically demonstrate the problem.

01:30I am seeing years of neglect prior to people entering aged care facilities

01:34and the sad thing is nearly all of it can be prevented.

01:37Avoiding pain and poor health.

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