A Seniors Dental Benefits Scheme is urgently needed to help stop thousands of older Australians ending up in our hospital system unnecessarily, COTA Australia says.
New data released today by the Australian Dental Association shows that 16,000 older people were admitted to hospital for urgent treatment of painful dental issues in 2022-23. The ADA expects that figure to increase by 42% to 22,630 by 2027-28.
Chief Executive Officer of COTA Australia - the leading advocacy organisation for older people - Patricia Sparrow said the statistics should act as a wake-up call on the much needed introduction of a Seniors Dental Benefit Scheme.
"The Australian Dental Association's new statistics highlight what we've known for a long time - that a lack of affordable dental and oral care is leading to disastrous health outcomes for too many older Australians," Ms Sparrow said.
"Every day our governments delay action on providing affordable dental care for those who need it most, more and more older people are falling ill and being forced into our hospital system unnecessarily. That's not good for anyone.
"As we live longer, the importance of preventative health becomes even more critical - for our quality of life, our healthcare system and for the budget.
"Good oral health is important for people of every age, but for many Australians - including many older Australians - access to the affordable dental support they need is out of reach, even more so at this time where the cost of living is stretching financial resources to the max.
"As we get older, the stakes get higher. The risks of poor oral health in young people can be substantial, but as we age the risks increase significantly. We're not only talking about embarrassment and social isolation, but also increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and even chromic malnutrition in older people.
"It's particularly difficult for more vulnerable older people and those living in rural and remote areas of the country.
Ms Sparrow said with a federal budget and a federal election on the horizon, older Australians are urging our federal politicians to act.
"The introduction of a Seniors Dental Benefits Scheme would ensure older Australians get access to the quality, affordable dental care they need which will keep us healthier for longer, decreasing the burden on our public health care system and freeing it up for those who need it most.
"We can't afford to wait any longer for our politicians to realise that this is a health crisis that needs to be urgently addressed.
"Including the Seniors Dental Benefits Scheme as part of Medicare, as we have done for children, is the kind of prevention focused policy we need to see from our governments."
