The Federal Government has pledged $5.5 million in funding over the next two-and-a-half-years in a bid to target growing waiting lists.

Federal Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, said the funding would allow nearly 4000 ACT residents to access low-cost dental care.

“People eligible for public dental care are often from lower-income households and families, which tend to have the most significant risk of poor oral health,” Ms Plibersek said.

The ACT Government has earmarked the funding to fast track several dental care initiatives. These will result in recruitment of more dental professionals including dentists, oral health therapists, dental assistants and prosthetists; the use of the private dental sector to provide general dental and prosthetic services; and more general anaesthetic sessions for people with special needs and children. 

Today’s announcement forms part of an estimated $55 million in new Commonwealth funding over the next six years to improve the ACT’s public dental services.