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Accessing oral health care in Australia

Roderick I Marshall and A John Spencer
Med J Aust 2006; 185 (2): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00470.x
Published online: 17 July 2006

Why try a doctor when you need a dentist?

Oral conditions have some of the highest prevalence and incidence rates of all health problems in Australia.1 They are frequently associated with pain, functional limitations and interference with usual activities. Most people experiencing oral symptoms will visit, or at least contemplate visiting, a dentist. But why are some patients with oral conditions presenting to general practitioners?


  • 1 Dental School, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD.
  • 2 University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA.



  • 1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s health 2000. Canberra: AIHW, 2000. (AIHW Cat. No. 19.)
  • 2. Mansour MH, Cox SC. Patients presenting to the general practitioner with pain of dental origin. Med J Aust 2006; 185: 64-67.
  • 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Labour force — dentists. 2005. Available at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/labourforce/dentists.cfm (accessed Jun 2006).
  • 4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Dental Statistics and Research Unit. Oral health and access to dental care — 1994–96 and 1999. Research report. Adelaide: AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit, Adelaide University, 2001.
  • 5. Teusner DN, Spencer AJ. Projections of the Australian dental labour force. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2005. (Population oral health series No. 1; AIHW Cat. No. POH 1.)
  • 6. Carter KD, Stewart JF. National dental telephone interview survey 2002. Adelaide: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Dental Statistics and Research Unit, 2003.
  • 7. Australian Dental Association, Victorian Branch. ADAVB submission re land tax on trusts. August 2005. Available at: http://www.adavb.com.au/main/news/submissions/ADAVB-LandTax-Aug2005.pdf (accessed Jun 2006).
  • 8. Medicare Australia. Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item statistics report. Available at: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/statistics/dyn_mbs/forms/mbs_tab4.shtml (accessed Jun 2006).

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