Guts Needed To Fix Dental Crisis

Perth, April 16: Australian Medical Association President Dr Danielle McMullen says it will take a government with real “guts” to fix the way Australians pay for dental care, amid growing concern that some Australians are dipping into their superannuation just to afford treatment.
Dr McMullen made the remarks at the National Press Club in Canberra on April 15 after DailyStraits.com asked what reports of people withdrawing super for dental care reveal about gaps in Australia’s healthcare system, and what reforms are needed to improve access to affordable treatment.
Responding to the question, Dr McMullen described dental care in Australia as “a real challenge” and said the consequences are increasingly showing up in general practice.
While she noted she is not a dentist, she said patients in obvious need of dental treatment often present at GP clinics because they can secure appointments there with little or no out-of-pocket cost, unlike in the dental system.
But while a GP may be able to prescribe antibiotics to manage an infection or offer short-term relief, the underlying dental issue remains untreated.
That, she said, requires access to a dentist — something that is often out of reach for many Australians, particularly those relying on public services.
Dr McMullen said public dental care remains constrained and under-resourced, with long waiting lists and major access gaps, especially for adults on low incomes.
For many patients, she suggested, the reality is a stark choice between living with pain, taking on debt, or accessing retirement savings to pay for urgent care.
She stressed that poor oral health is not simply a cosmetic issue.
Untreated dental problems can affect a person’s ability to chew and eat properly, increase the risk of infection, and worsen broader health conditions including chronic illness and cardiovascular disease.
Asked what meaningful reform would look like, Dr McMullen said it would “take a government with guts” to overhaul Australia’s dental funding model.
Any serious reform, she said, would come at significant cost and require difficult policy decisions about eligibility, coverage and funding.
While acknowledging there are already some programs in place — including children’s dental schemes and state-based public dental services for limited groups — she said the current system remains patchy and inadequate, particularly for low-income Australians who are struggling most.
Her remarks came just one day after the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency issued a joint warning about predatory behaviour linked to the compassionate release of superannuation for dental treatment.

ATO Deputy Commissioner Ben Kelly said some health practitioners and third-party operators were using aggressive tactics to encourage patients to access their super early for overpriced or unnecessary procedures, putting long-term retirement savings at risk.
Kelly said superannuation is intended as a long-term investment for retirement and should only be accessed early in limited circumstances, including where necessary to treat a life-threatening illness or alleviate acute or chronic pain or mental illness, and only where no other options exist.
Ahpra said it has received close to 100 complaints since 2019 involving doctors and dentists connected to super-funded treatment arrangements.
The regulator is also trialling artificial intelligence tools to detect problematic advertising that may place financial incentives ahead of patient need.
Several practitioners have already faced tribunal referrals, cautions or conditions on their registration.