AUSTRALIA’S oral health status has ranked second worst in the OECD Community Services and Health Industries face skills crisis in oral health.
Despite the National Oral Health Plan being five years into its eight year plan gaping holes still remain in how dental care is delivered to Australians.
"Today's children, particularly in regional areas, have the same limited access to dental care that children 100 years ago might have experienced. In fact, according to the National Advisory Committee on Oral Health, the oral health status of Australian adults ranks second worst in the OECD." Explained Di Lawson, CEO of the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council. "
It is unbelievable, and quite frankly unacceptable for Australians to have lower standards of oral health than almost any other developed country. All Australians should have access to a quality healthcare system - and this includes their teeth." She said.
This month the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council released its 2009 Environmental Scan providing a snapshot of the key issues facing the Community Services and Health industries in terms of skills shortages and development issues that are impacting the care levels of every Australian.
Oral health, disability careers and quality Family Day Care services top the list of the most urgent areas of concern.
The Scan provides an analysis of the enormous workforce challenges ahead and steps the Community Services & Health Industry Skills Council is putting in place to assist the industries in responding to these challenges.
The 2009 Environmental Scan was developed by the ISC in partnership with a research team at Sydney University's Workplace Research Centre headed by Dr John Buchanan
"The number of oral health practitioners falls short of the numbers required to meet current need, especially in the public sector, rural and remote areas and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Unless we urgently rethink the reliance of only certain oral health professionals and occupations being able to perform routine tasks, we face enormous challenges.
"Other primary health care workers, such as community nurses, Aboriginal Health and Torres Strait Islander Workers and aged care workers to name but a few are more than capable of playing an active role in the promotion and prevention of oral health." Di stressed.
The Community Services & Health Industry Skills Council is leading a national oral health workforce project in 2009/10 to support and enable implementation of new skills to a broader base of health care practitioners.