Public dental care and the Teeth First trial: A history of decay

This report examines the implications of the lack of timely dental treatment for people on low incomes.
Based on the state of dental services available to low-income Australians, the costs of not providing timely treatment, and the findings of the Teeth First trial, recommendations are made for changes to the public dental scheme, including:

• Fully incorporate dental care within Medicare;
• Offer dental scholarships with similar conditions to those of the Commonwealth Bonded Medical Places Scheme and
• Increase remuneration for public sector dentists and ancillary staff; Launch a government-funded national dental health campaign.