The Australian medical service - Medicaire - is criticised by some but nobody in this country should go without medical treatment. Many doctors bulk bill, hence there is no charge to the patient and all citizens are entitled to free treatment in a public hospital. Those who can't find a bulk billing doctor can obtain care by attending the outpatients department of a hospital.
Unfortunately this does not include dental care. There is a government funded dental health clinic, but the wait for treatment is measured in years - and the rules that apply are draconian. For instance, should a patient with several teeth in need of a filling finally get to the head of the queue - just one tooth will be treated. That patient then goes to the back of the queue and must wait years until his or her turn again arises.
Dental health can impinge on general health , yet a patient with a heart murmur will get immediate treatment - but a patient in pain from toothache and abscesses will be ignored.
Dental health may be a pivot point at the coming Federal election. It has been ignored for too long and both sides of politics are looking over their shoulders - wondering which will be the first to pop the genie out of the bottle.
If either party makes dental health an election issue then both sides will have no option than to move on that subject. Including dental health in Medicaire will cost money - an incredible amount of money - but it could be make or break in winning the election.
It could be that 2008 will be the year than dental health comes under the Medicaire umbrella !
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