The burden of oral disease among rural and remote Australians is compelling, and yet, achieving timely access to appropriate oral health care in these areas remains elusive. Vulnerable and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who rely on government-subsidised oral health care, are disproportionately affected by poor access.
This Issues Brief synthesises evidence regarding the extent of access challenges, and the possible factors impacting on access. It shows that maldistribution of public dental services, long-standing shortage of public dental workforce, and frequent turnover among public dental professionals primarily contribute to the problem of oral health care access in rural and remote areas.
