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Dentist in Joondalup: “Dental Funding in Proposed Budget Grossly Insufficient.”

Announcement posted by 1300 Great Smile 04 Jul 2016

Dentist in Joondalup reveals why the dental funding portion of the proposed budget doesn’t do nearly enough to ensure that all Australians get dental care.
Perth, WA, 04 July 2016 - According to a dentist in Joondalup, the most recent budget proposed by the Australian Government leaves a lot to be desired in the eyes of the dental profession. According to Roy Sarmidi, a dentist at 1300 Great Smile in Joondalup, the provisions in the budget for dental funding are inferior to the current system and sadly deficient for meeting the needs of Australian children and adults.

The Government has publicised the $5 billion allocated for dental care in the new budget and are making it sound like they have increased funding and provided access to 6.6 million adults who are not eligible for services under the current plan.

The current plan is called the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) and covers 3.4 million children. The proposed plan is called the Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme and would theoretically provide access to 6.6 million adults in addition to the 3.4 million children.

While it sounds good superficially to provide services to 6.6 million more people, the funding would actually be less than the current funding. That would leave less money to be distributed to more people. Some indigent patients would receive as little as $42 per person under the proposed program.

The Australian Dental Association is staunchly against the proposed budget, which is yet to be officially passed. They have begun a campaign called “Save the CDBS.” They are unhappy that this allocation of funds could prevent a large number of children from receiving the dental services they need.

Dr Sarmidi is fully on the side of the ADA. According to Dr Sarmidi: “We love the idea of dental funding being more inclusive and making dental services available to 6.6 million adults who might not otherwise receive it. But it can’t be done at the expense of a current generation of children.”

Dr Sarmidi continued: “Some people dismiss primary or 'baby' teeth because they fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth. This is one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make. The primary teeth set a strong foundation for the adult teeth when they erupt. If the primary teeth are healthy, the bone will be solid and the adult teeth will usually grow straight and strong. If the primary teeth are chronically decayed, the adult teeth can have problems.”

While the political process plays itself out in Australia, the ADA is working to fight the new budget and keep the CDBS. Dr Sarmidi concludes: “I would love to see adult dental care funded by the government but not at the expense of the children. The current funding for CDBS is barely enough to make it work. A cut in the funding would deprive some children of the dental care they need. The proposed budget would be a dental disaster for an entire generation of children.”

If you are looking for a dentist in Joondalup, 1300 Great Smile has two locations to serve you. They offer a wide range of dental services, including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and emergency dentistry. They strive to treat every patient like family and are experts at providing a positive experience during dental visits and procedures. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call 1300 473 287 or visit their website: http://www.1300greatsmile.com.au/.