Pilot aims to transform oral health of millions of Australian seniors

Following urgent calls for a better standard of oral healthcare for older Australians stemming from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and the 2023 Senate Inquiry into Access to Dental Services in Australia, the ADA has been campaigning for the Government to launch a publicly funded scheme known as the Senior Dental Benefits Schedule (SDBS). * 

The need for the implementation of a SDBS has been highlighted by findings from the ADA's annual study of 25,000 people revealing that in the last 12 months over half (55%) of all over 65s delayed seeking dental treatment, with affordability cited as the main reason. Additionally, nearly half (47%) of this age group reported debilitating oral issues including recent tooth or gum pain, mouth or face swelling, or a mouth infection, compared to 36% of the rest of the community. 

As part of a proof of concept for a SDBS, a collaborative program in partnership with Primary Dental at Maroubra Medical & Dental Centre in Sydney and the University of Sydney was launched in October 2024 and ran until March 2025. It involved 70 seniors with an active diabetes or cardiovascular disease GP care plan. 

Academics from the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health have evaluated the effects of the dental treatment of the participants’ dental and overall health, with results showing an improvement in oral health outcomes, particularly in the management of tooth decay, gum disease, and provision of prosthodontic care. 

“Participants also commented on the dental health education they received to help them clean and floss more, and see their dentist more often. These improved oral habits will have a beneficial knock-on effect on their chronic health condition,” said ADA President Dr Chris Sanzaro. 

“The results of the four-month pilot show that this scheme is a valuable blueprint for similar pilots to be rolled out around the country and inform the construction of a SDBS down the track.” 

Each of these patients involved in the trial SDBS had their regular GP-provided health care plans expanded to include free individualised dental plans, marking the first time in Australian history that oral healthcare has been included in formal health management frameworks. 

By coordinating patients’ dentistry and oral care more closely with the medical care they receive from general practitioners, the program sought to prevent or contain oral health problems that can seriously impact seniors’ overall health and quality of life. 

At the end of the program, final reviews and scans were completed with all participants, with the results shared with each participant’s GP and care plan nurse, as well as with Sydney University. Dental researchers there are conducting an independent evaluation of the pilot, focusing on three key items: 

• economic analysis of treatment cost 

• qualitative patient surveying 

• health impact assessment 

* The SDBS pilot program is a first-time collaboration led by ForHealth Group, Primary Dental (Part of the ForHealth Group), in partnership with the Australian Dental Association (ADA), with funding from Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network (CESPHN) and lab and consumables provided by Race Dental. 

If the results show the pilot was successful in delivering positive outcomes it may be the precursor to similar seniors’ dental pilot rollouts around Australia. 

The pilot was a joint partnership between Primary Dental (a part of the ForHealth Group), Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network, the Australian Dental Association, Race Dental and the University of Sydney.