Figure E1 lists the average wait times, in months, for priority denture care in all Victorian community dental agencies (CDA), from 2012–13 to 2015–16.
Figure E1
Wait times for priority denture care in CDAs
Agency |
2012–13 |
2013–14 |
2014–15 |
2015–16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Barwon region |
||||
Barwon Health |
5.51 |
– |
1.22 | |
Figure D1 lists the average wait times, in months, for denture care in all Victorian community dental agencies (CDA), from 2012–13 to 2015–16.
Figure D1
Wait times for denture care in CDAs
Agency |
2012–13 |
2013–14 |
2014–15 |
2015–16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Barwon region |
||||
Barwon Health |
35.91 |
13.13 |
15.96 | |
Figure C1 lists the average wait times, in months, for general care in all Victorian community dental agencies (CDA), from 2012–13 to 2015–16.
Figure C1
Wait times for general dental care in CDAs
Agency |
2012–13 |
2013–14 |
2014–15 |
2015–16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Barwon region |
||||
Barwon Health |
27.80 |
14.70 |
15.35 | |
Figure B1 outlines the eligibility and fee requirements for accessing public dental services.
Figure B1
Access to public dental services
Eligible population |
Priority access group |
Required to pay co-payment |
Exempt from paying fees |
|---|---|---|---|
All children aged 0−12 years |
✔ |
We have consulted with the Department of Premier & Cabinet, the Department of Health & Human Services and Dental Health Services Victoria throughout the course of our audits, and we considered their views when reaching our audit conclusions. As required by section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994, we gave a draft copy of this report, or relevant extracts, to those agencies and asked for their submissions and comments.
Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.
Responses were received as follows:
A sound performance monitoring framework is essential for effectively managing public dental services. Such a framework should include comprehensive performance indicators that allow the Department of Health & Human Services (the department) and Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) to:
People from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds experience higher rates of poor oral health, often due to barriers that prevent them from accessing dental care. It is important to address these barriers to enable eligible people to access public dental services when they need to, and to encourage favourable visiting patterns.
Most oral diseases can be prevented, and access to preventive oral health care can promote good oral health and minimise oral disease.
Victoria's Health: The Chief Health Officer's report 2014, published in 2016, states that dental conditions are the highest cause of all preventable admissions to hospital for Victorians under 25 years of age and the second highest for all ages. The main cause of this in children is tooth decay.