WYNDHAM’S strained public dental waiting lists are likely to ease after the federal government announced more than half a billion dollars in funding.
The federal government’s $515.3million package was included in last week’s budget.
The Greens hope it signals the first stage of a national Medicare-style dental care scheme.
The package includes $345.9million to treat some of the 400,000 patients on dental waiting lists over the next three years. Funding will also be provided to improve dental services outside metropolitan areas.
In Wyndham, the 22-month waiting list for dental work at ISIS Primary Care is well above the state average of 17 months.
Greens health spokesman, Senator Richard Di Natale, said the first $70million of the fund would be spent in the first half of next year, with the bulk of the package allocated in forward estimates.
Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland said the funding “couldn’t have come at a more opportune time,” to undo the state government’s “neglect” of dental waiting lists in Melbourne’s western growth areas.
Prime Minister and Lalor MP Julia Gillard said the investment in dental health would help support some of the most vulnerable people in her electorate. -Nick Toscano
