South Australia’s oral health sector has long struggled with recruiting and retaining clinical staff in both the public and private sectors, particularly in regional, rural, and remote areas. Opinions on the reasons for these challenges vary. Some suggest that the pandemic impacted young people’s motivation to work, resulting in the same headcounts but fewer full-time equivalents (FTE). Additionally, the pandemic prompted some individuals to retire earlier than anticipated. Others argue that although the number of international students has increased, these students tend to return to their home countries after graduation, leaving Australia with fewer workforce numbers despite universities training more oral health practitioners each year.
This perspective brief, authored by Paulina Lee (Member of the South Australian Oral Health Plan Monitoring Group), utilises workforce data from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the SA Department of Education to identify factors contributing to changes in the SA oral health projections. While the data underscores the current workforce planning issues in South Australia’s oral health sector, it also suggests several potential policy options.
Adopting a strategic, multi-pronged approach to workforce development, which includes creating pathways for education and training programs tailored to students from rural backgrounds, as well as fostering increased collaboration among government, the private sector, and educational institutions, can help enhance workforce development programs. This approach will ensure that oral health services are accessible in rural, regional, and public sector areas.
