The clock is ticking for families and carers to access rebated dental care for children

As parliament is due to sit this week with a vote to erase the current Child Dental Benefits Schedule, the Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists Association (ADOHTA) is issuing a warning to families and carers who access the scheme.

ADOHTA President Hellene Platell says that her organisation has concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of the new scheme to be known as the Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme, or caPDS, which is due to be voted upon this week in parliament.

"Whilst the Commonwealth has previously spruiked these changes and the investment in dental care as a major win for healthcare consumers, modelling of the funding mechanisms conducted earlier this year seem to represent a significant funding cut, not an increase, despite the rhetoric we have heard from the Turnbull government."

"Our organisation has been in close liaison with a number of other interested bodies since the scheme was announced. Alongside these groups, we have previously stated that although the scheme Minister Ley announced in May of this year declared $415m as a funding increase – it is actually 33% less than the figure of $615m promised in last year's Budget."

Ms Platell says that the imminent passing of new legislation may lead to a lack of access to reasonable oral healthcare services which may have previously been accessible prior to the end of the year.

"This may serve as a timely reminder to all those who families and carers of children who have previously accessed Medicare-funded dental care to book in their check-ups and trips to their Oral Healthcare professional (OHP) as soon as possible."

Ms Platell says that uncertainty around the future of funded oral health care for all Australians is a major issue in the health sector.

"It is no secret that good oral health is closely related to the overall health and wellbeing of the general population, particularly in children and adolescents."

"We have an intergovernmental National Oral Health Plan (NOHP) which says 100 per cent of children should see an OHP and these likely cuts to the existing scheme just don't seem to match what is outlined in this plan."

"Our organisation sees the issue of reasonable, accessible funded oral health care becoming more of a problem for Australians, both young and old."

Ms Platell said that better utilisation of the OHP workforce is key to addressing the gaps which currently exist in the oral health service delivery, particularly amongst vulnerable populations, such as families on lower income, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the elderly and those who live in rural and remote settings.

"For over 10 years our organisation has been calling for the better use and recognition of the OHP workforce, which could potentially have huge saving implications for the Commonwealth, States and Territories."

OHPs are qualified professionals which include Dental Therapists and Oral Health Therapists.

"Like other allied health professionals in primary care, OHPs must still work in a structured relationship with a dentist. These changes have allowed primary oral health providers to move into private practice, but do not on their own allow the full benefit to the system and individuals to be realised. The standard is to be reviewed in 2017." says Ms Platell.

Ms Platell says Australia has invested in building the capacity of OHPs by advancing their training and education (three-year bachelor degrees) and since 2010, registering them nationally through the Australian Health Professionals Registration Agency.

"We believe that OHPs can be supported to work in ways that make a greater contribution to improving the oral and general health of Australians, both in our cities and in rural, regional and remote areas."