Government, hospitals and health fund policies should ensure that patients have equitable access to dentistry under general anaesthesia.
2.1 Dental treatment under general anaesthesia should only be undertaken when indicated for appropriate management of the patient.
2.2 A dentist must not carry out any procedure forming part of the practice of dentistry on a patient under general anaesthesia unless the anaesthetic is administered by an appropriately qualified and registered practitioner.
2.3 General anaesthesia for dental procedures must be administered in accordance with the guidelines of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and any State, Territory or Federal Regulations.
2.4 General anaesthesia facilities should be readily available to dentists to treat all patients promptly.
2.5 Government funding for dental treatment should include treatment under general anaesthesia.
2.6 Access to in-hospital services must be supported by including general anaesthesia on the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
2.7 Government funding of treatments should reflect the cost and complexity of providing dental treatment under general anaesthesia.
2.8 Private Health Insurance Funds should negotiate fair and reasonable rebate rates for Dental General Anaesthesia Procedure Facilities (DGAPFs) for the provision of comprehensive dental treatment under general anaesthesia.
2.9 Hospitals and day procedure centres providing general anaesthesia should not discriminate against dental patients on the grounds of hospital funding models.
2.10 Government should provide resources and an appropriate legislative framework to ensure equitable access to dental general anaesthesia procedure facilities for all dental patients.
2.11 Patients who are unable to receive dental treatment in a conventional surgery setting—such as young children, individuals with special needs, or those with complex medical conditions—must be prioritised for access to theatre facilities to ensure timely, equitable, and effective oral healthcare.
3.1 General anaesthesia is a safe and effective component of the practice of dentistry. It enables the
provision of oral health care services for patients who are unable to accept dental care in a routine dental setting e.g., dental clinic or mobile dental van. This may include:
3.2 DGAPFs exist to provide a safe and well-equipped environment for the provision of oral health
care, However, access to dental general anaesthesia procedure facilities for dental professionals to perform treatment under GA is significantly inadequate to patient needs.
3.3 In Australia, Medicare provides universal coverage for medically necessary procedures, including
many surgeries performed under general anaesthesia for children. However, dental procedures under general anaesthetic are not universally covered by Medicare. For most families, this means that dental treatment under general anaesthetic is either out-of-pocket or covered through private health insurance, leading to financial inequities.
3.4 The inability for patients and families to access funding from the Child Dental Benefit Schedule for
treatment under general anaesthesia remains a significant and unreasonable barrier for access.
4.1 GENERAL ANAESTHESIA is a drug-induced state of controlled unconsciousness accompanied
by a partial or complete loss of protective reflexes including the inability to maintain an airway independently and continuously, and the inability to respond to physical stimulation or verbal command.
4.2 DENTAL GENERAL ANAESTHESIA PROCEDURE FACILITY (DGAPF) is a facility with an operating theatre or procedure room that meets state or territory regulatory requirements.
4.3 ACTIVITY BASED FUNDING is a way of funding hospitals whereby they are paid for the number and mix of patients they treat.
June 2025
June 2030
