Australia's wealthy keep that winning smile

Australia's wealthiest citizens receive 4.5 times more public 
funding for dental care than those who live in abject poverty, 
says a new report on dental health.

"Dental services are the least subsidised of health services and 
the public subsidy is inequitably distributed", said John 
Spencer, Professor of Social and Preventative Dentistry at 
Adelaide University.

"Decision-makers see Australians' oral health in terms of their 
own middle or upper income, advantaged position. It is a myopic 
view and one that denies the reality of the polarisation of oral 
health which has left many at great disadvantage."

Professor Spencer described the gap between the dental health of 
Australia's rich and poor as a "chasm".

The 30 percent Private Health Insurance Rebate was identified as 
a significant factor in steering public dental funding into the 
pockets of the wealthy.

The report also identified John Howard's abolition of the $100-
million Commonwealth Dental Health Program in 1996 as 
contributing to the overall decline in Australia's dental health 
standards since the mid-1990s.

The report, Narrowing the inequality gap in oral health and 
dental care in Australia, detailed the suffering of Australia's 
low-income earners:

* 40 percent of adults in low-income households surveyed in 2002 
said they suffered painful toothache and avoided certain foods 
because of teeth and gum problems.

* 41 percent of Health Care Card holders avoided or delayed 
accessing dental care because of cost.

* 31 percent waited more than six months for an appointment — 
compared to 0.4 per cent for affluent Australians.

* 17 percent have difficulties speaking because of their teeth

* Almost one third felt self-conscious about eating.

Not only was the dental health of Australia's poor at a very low 
level, but also was continuing to deteriorate.

"A substantial effort is required to reduce social inequalities 
in access to care. Unfortunately, the level of effort has been 
inadequate", said Professor Spencer.

Professor Spencer outlined six key areas where significant 
increases in both state and federal government funding would be 
required to reduce the widening gap in oral health between 
Australia's rich and poor.

These included extending the water fluoridation to cover the 30 
percent of rural Australians who currently lack the service; 
revitalising the school dental services and increasing access to 
the public dental services; and expanding Australia's dental 
labour force.