Blitz to aid desperate Victorians waiting more than 30 months for dental care

A CASH injection will help thousands of desperate Victorians receive dental treatment over the coming months under a state government plan.

A DENTAL health blitz will mean 18,300 Victorians receive treatment over the coming months under a $12.1 million Andrews Government splash.

With dental waiting lists now more than 30 months long in parts of the state, the government will announce a cash injection on Thursday for the most desperate areas by the end of June.

The latest dental funding agreement was signed by the state and federal governments in January, but the state has blamed Canberra for cutting funding by almost $30 million over the next 2½ years.

With Victoria’s average public dental waiting time ballooning to more than 19 months for general care and 17 months for denture care, Health Minister Jill Hennessy will announce a blitz to slash the list on Thursday.

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Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessey. Picture: Chris Eastman

“We’re taking action to drive down dental care waiting lists right around the state, to ensure people can get the oral treatment they need, faster,” she said.

“Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberals’ cuts have left our ­dental system in decay — and that’s left people waiting too long for important treatment or missing out altogether.”

Among the most desperate areas to be targeted is Melbourne’s northern suburbs, where Merri Health’s waiting list extends to more than 32 months and 2355 patients.

East Grampians also has more than 1000 people waiting more than 30 months for care, while thousands of patients are waiting more than 28 months for treatment at the Monash, Plenty Valley, Inspiro and Barwon health services.

Poor dental conditions are a leading cause of avoidable hospital admission for children under 10 and the third highest for adults.

As revealed by the Herald Sun last year, the number of children placed under general anaesthetic for major operations has led to surgery rates for kids under five jumping a staggering 50 per cent in just three years at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.

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