Momentum builds for real dental reform with launch of Parliamentary group

L-R: ADA CEO Dr Kate More PhD., ADA President Dr Chris Sanzaro, Speaker of FDI General Assembly, Dr Stephen Liew

The Parliamentary Friends of Dental and Oral Health group (the Parliamentary Friends Dental group) launched yesterday at an event at Parliament House in Canberra attended by people from across the dental sector and the political spectrum. 

The new Parliamentary Friends group has been welcomed by the ADA and the Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) and a range of other oral health sector associations including the Oral Health Association of Australia (OHAA), the Australian Dental Prosthetists Association (ADPA), The Australian Dental Technicians Association (ADTA) and the Dental Assistants Professional Association (DAPA). 

Chaired jointly by Senator Helen Polley and Dr Monique Ryan MP, who were both in attendance at the launch, the group will provide a standing forum for parliamentarians to engage with the dental sector and champion reform, with a particular focus on children's dental health. 

Also in attendance at the afternoon launch event was the Speaker of the General Assembly for the FDI World Dental Federation, past ADA President Dr Stephen Liew, who provided a global context for Australian dental advocacy and reform. 

ADA President Dr Chris Sanzaro and ADIA President Mr. Ryan Green also spoke at the event, with Dr Sanzaro calling for dentistry to be brought into the healthcare mainstream, for the release of the National Oral Health Plan and the way in which government can have a profound impact on the oral health of Australian through initiatives like the Child Dental Benefit Schedule (CDBS). 

ADIA President Green spoke directly to the power of the CDBS with the launch also including an interview with a parent who has used the Schedule to make a real difference to the oral health of her children. 

The importance of the Parliamentary Friends Dental group can’t be overstated – it has the very real potential to elevate dentistry even further into discussions about healthcare policy with Dr Sanzaro noting that "Good oral health is fundamental to overall health, and it needs to be recognised as an essential part of our health system for all Australians."