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Perhaps the assumption that markets are still anchored by predictable economic policies needs to be challenged. For the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall, political volatility – once background noise – is potentially reshaping investment risk at a structural level.
Pilot project validates need for national dental scheme for seniors
A first-of-a-kind dental pilot project that has seen participants’ oral health improve could be the blueprint for other pilot studies – and a Federl Government dental scheme for seniors.
The Maroubra seniors dental benefits schedule pilot tackled the oral health of 70 Eastern Sydney seniors with a chronic disease and socio-economic disadvantage from November 2024 to March 2025.
Under the pilot, dentists provided dental treatment, hand-in-hand with bespoke advice and information designed to improve oral health and reduce the risk from dental disease on the rest of the body.
The University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health then evaluated the effects of the dental treatment on the participants’ dental and overall health, finding improvements in oral health outcomes, particularly in the management of tooth decay, gum disease and provision of prosthodontic care.
“Participants also commented on the dental health education they received to help them clean and floss more and see their dentist more often. These improved oral habits will have a beneficial knock-on effect on their chronic health condition,” says Australian Dental Association (ADA) president Chris Sanzaro (pictured).
“The results of the four-month pilot show that this scheme is a valuable blueprint for similar pilots to be rolled out around the country and inform the construction of a Seniors Dental Benefits Schedule (SDBS) down the track.”
The program’s holistic approach supported both treatment and behaviour change, potentially reducing further tooth loss and improving oral health.
Patients reported better-fitting dentures, improved confidence and a greater understanding of oral hygiene practices, while all untreated tooth decay, a major problem in this cohort, was successfully managed and prevented from progressing to more severe disease.
Prosthodontic and restorative services involved multiple appointments and procedures, reflecting seniors’ complex oral rehabilitation needs.
Further, patients previously hesitant to go to the dentist due to cost, waiting times, transport or language barriers reported positive oral outcomes while improved access encouraged earlier intervention and treatment completion that would have otherwise been delayed or missed.
“If future pilots generate similar results, the government should see this as the clear proof it needs to introduce a dental scheme for seniors,” says Sanzaro. “The pilot also demonstrates that with regular oral health maintenance people wouldn’t have to be suffering in pain with unmet oral needs, heading to emergency departments for urgent care. The SDBS would make this a reality for millions of older Australians.”
University of Sydney associate professor Bradley Christian, who led the evaluation study, says: “While this demonstration project supports the feasibility of similar dental pilot programs, it’s clear that scale-up and implementation will require more evidence from a broader cohort of participants across metro, rural and regional populations to assess variation in oral health needs, service delivery capacity, population reach and economic impacts.
“These considerations would be essential for informing the design and implementation of a potential broader SDBS.”
The ADA has been urging successive governments to fund a seniors dental scheme, calculated by the Parliamentary Budget Office to cost $1.143 billion a year in 2025-26 for 2.8 million eligible seniors, rising to $1.263 billion in 2026-27.
“To provide dental services to every Australian would cost between $5 billion and $12 billion a year and no government has ever been able to take this on. So, the SDBS is a necessary and affordable option and a rollout of similar pilots to this one is a positive step in the right direction to achieving this,” Sanzaro says.
