Public dental service at Mona Vale Hospital closes due to staff shortages

A dental clinic at one of the state’s newest hospitals has been forced to temporarily close because it can’t find enough dental staff to treat patients.

The public dental service has been forced to close due a worker shortage.

A dental clinic at one of the state’s newest hospitals has been forced to temporarily close because it can’t find enough dental staff to treat patients.

NSW Health has confirmed patients are having to be turned away from Mona Vale Hospital’s public dental service due to significant challenges recruiting staff to operate the clinic.

The move has left some patients having to travel to the limited number of other public clinics in Sydney’s north, including at Brookvale.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park was unable to confirm when the Mona Vale clinic would reopen but said efforts were underway to fill the staff shortage.

“(There are) challenges in recruiting dental staff due to a nationwide shortage of skilled dental practitioners,” he said. “A new recruitment campaign is underway, and services will resume following the recruitment of appropriately skilled dental practitioners.”

The clinic is located within Mona Vale Hospital.

NSW state Pittwater MP Rory Amon said he had fielded concerns from multiple residents about the temporary closure.

“There is brand new dental equipment just sitting there vacant because they can’t find staff to work in it and it means people in the community aren’t getting the access to the dental care they need,” he said. “For people who don't have private health insurance, it’s an essential service and without it many will forgo the care they need.

Pittwater MP Rory Amon.

“If it’s too hard to make an appointment you tend to forget about it or put it on the back burner.”

The clinic is operated by the Northern Sydney Local Health District which provides free dental care such as examinations, X-rays, fillings, extractions, and dentures to eligible residents.

Children under 18 are eligible to access the clinic, as well as adults with a health care card, pensioner concession card or commonwealth seniors health card.

The temporary closures come as the state’s public dental system faces a post pandemic-fuelled sector-wide staff shortage.

The clinic was included in the redevelopment of the hospital.

The Australian Dental Association say employers are also facing major difficulties filling dental assistant positions with more than 2000 vacancies currently advertised across Australia.

A spokeswoman for the health district said the dental clinic was unable to provide services until appropriately skilled dental practitioners were recruited.

“While recruitment is ongoing the remaining oral health staff working at Mona Vale Community Health Centre have been relocated to work at the Brookvale Community Health Centre dental clinic,” she said.

“This ensures a full oral health service can be provided to the Northern Beaches community.

“We thank the community for their patience and understanding during this time and apologise for any inconvenience caused. “

Mr Amon is calling for the state government to expedite the recruitment process.

“I think everyone accepts there are general shortages in the dental space but I have a suspicion that the Labor government in a world of limited resources will send the resources elsewhere,” he said.