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ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health is improving access to public dental services by streamlining processes, including combining the current assessment and treatment waiting lists into a single waiting list. As a result, the way the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø public dental service data is reported will change from the December 2024 quarter. Due to these changes, the waiting list data will not be comparable to previous years. Historical data will continue to be available.
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ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health provides access to public dental care for children under 18 years of age with a Medicare card, and adults who have or are listed as dependent on an Australian Government Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card, or Pensioner Concession Card.
Patients accessing the public dental system receive care from public dental clinics or participating private dental clinics. Patients may receive a voucher from a public dental clinic to receive specific treatment from participating private dental clinics offering treatment described by the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health Oral Health Fee for Service Scheme.
The information below describes the activity, or Dental Weighted Activity Units (DWAUs), completed by ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Public Dental Services. During an appointment, dental practitioners provide care which is measured using item numbers. The Australian Dental Association set The Australian Schedule of Dental Services and Glossary which co​ntains item numbers used consistently throughout Australia. These item numbers have weightings (DWAUs), based on the complexity of the care provided.
Figure 1: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Public Dental Services activity data by quarter, December 2021 to December 2024
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health aims to see all patients within the benchmarks for public dental services, this is the recommended maximum waiting time for certain types of dental care. Patients are prioritised through a triage process based on the urgency of their needs, ensuring that those with urgent dental issues receive treatment in a timely manner.
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health has improved access to public dental services by streamlining processes, including combining the current assessment and treatment waiting lists. This enables patients to be seen for urgent dental treatment whilst awaiting usual routine care. As a result of this streamlined process, the way the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø public dental service data is reported by necessity changed on 28 October 2024. Due to these changes, the waiting list data from the December 2024 quarter is not comparable to previous quarters.
For more information about recommended maximum waiting times and information on how patients are prioritised to receive care in the new waiting list policy, please refer to the Oral Health Access Policy Directive​.
Figure 2: Percentage of patients who had been waiting less than the recommended maximum waiting time for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø public dental services, December 2021 to December 2024
Table 1: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø public dental service waiting list by Local Health District, as of 31 December 2024​
Source: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health Local Health Districts and Specialty NetworksNotes: Figures represent the local health district where service was provided. Patients waiting for specialist dental services are not included.​