Impact of initiatives to reduce public dental waiting lists in Queensland, Australia
Ratilal Lalloo A and Jeroen Kroon B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
B School of Dentistry and Oral Health/Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Qld 4222, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: j.kroon@griffith.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 21(4) 460-466 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY14063
Submitted: 8 April 2014 Accepted: 10 September 2014 Published: 28 October 2014
Abstract
Information on public dental service waiting lists is available as part of the Queensland Government open data policy. Data were analysed for the period December 2012 to December 2013, to present the total number and percentage of people waiting for care and who have waited beyond the desirable period. Over the 1-year study period, the number of people on the waiting list decreased from 130 546 to 77 146, a difference of 40.9%. A decrease of 80.6% was found for those waiting beyond the desirable period for care. The largest decrease was for general care (44.9%). The initiatives to reduce the public dental waiting list appear to have been successful in significantly reducing the number of people waiting in general and especially those waiting beyond the desirable period. The initiatives to decrease waiting lists represent a downstream approach and are less likely to have any significant impact on the prevention of oral diseases. As waiting lists are reduced, more emphasis should be placed on upstream approaches such as health promotion, specific protection measures and targeting high-risk individuals for oral diseases.
Additional keywords: accessibility, funding, health services, oral health, patient care, primary health care.
References
ABC News (2013a) Dental funding injection. (ABC News: Sydney) Available at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-04/dental-funding-boost-for-the-act/4500016 [Verified 6 March 2013]ABC News (2013b) Extra dental dollars to bite into waiting lists. (ABC News: Sydney) Available at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-27/extra-dental-dollars-to-reduce-waiting-lists/4542450 [Verified 6 March 2013]
Australian Dental Association (2014) National dental update: May 2014. (Australian Dental Association: Sydney) Available at http://www.ada.org.au/app_cmslib/media/lib/1406/m776675_v1_ndu_may_2014.pdf [Verified 25 August 2014]
Chu CH, Lo EC (1999) Patients’ satisfaction with dental services provided by a university in Hong Kong. International Dental Journal 49, 53–59.
| Patients’ satisfaction with dental services provided by a university in Hong Kong.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD3czksFKrtA%3D%3D&md5=ac6364c01199809a5f29bef62820b451CAS | 10887474PubMed |
Chu CH, Yeung CY, Lo EC (2001) Monitoring patient satisfaction with university dental services under two fee-paying systems. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology 29, 390–398.
| Monitoring patient satisfaction with university dental services under two fee-paying systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MrgtlKrtw%3D%3D&md5=d16a5751304788d8dec4e0a152ba2b00CAS | 11553112PubMed |
Council of Australian Governments (2012) National Partnership Agreement on treating more public dental patients. (Australian Government: Canberra) Available at http://www.federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/content/npa/health_service/public_dental/Public_dental_patients_NP.pdf [Verified 1 November 2013]
Curtis AJ, Russell CO, Stoelwinder JU, McNeil JJ (2010) Waiting lists and elective surgery: ordering the queue. The Medical Journal of Australia 192, 217–220.
Davidson N, Skull S, Calache H, Chesters D, Chalmers J (2007) Equitable access to dental care for an at-risk group: a review of services for Australian refugees. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 31, 73–80.
| Equitable access to dental care for an at-risk group: a review of services for Australian refugees.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17333613PubMed |
Department of Health (2012a) Health and Ageing – 2012–2013 budget at a glance. (Australian Government: Canberra) Available at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/budget/publishing.nsf/Content/budget2012-glance.htm [Verified 6 March 2013]
Department of Health (2012b) National Partnership Agreement (NPA) for adult public dental services. (Australian Government: Canberra) Available at https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/dentalnpa [Verified 28 October 2013]
Department of Health (2012c) Final Report of National Advisory Council on Dental Health. Australian Government, Canberra.
Department of Health (2014) Australian Government 2014–15 health portfolio budget statements. (Australian Government: Canberra) Available at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/budget/publishing.nsf/Content/2014-2015_Health_PBS [Verified 25 August 2014]
Donabedian A (1988) The quality of care. How can it be assessed? Journal of the American Medical Association 260, 1743–1748.
| The quality of care. How can it be assessed?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaL1czhslajsA%3D%3D&md5=f8da18b4e5692d0d5cf9a2dc61c5a4edCAS | 3045356PubMed |
Esa R, Rajah P, Abdul Razak I (2006) Satisfaction with the oral health services. A qualitative study among Non-Commissioned Officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces. Community Dental Health 23, 15–20.
Government of Western Australia (2013) WA Health Performance Report July to September 2013 Quarter. (Department of Health: Perth) Available at https://www.health.wa.gov.au/publications/subject_index/p/performance.cfm [Verified November 2013]
Klingenberg A, Walther W, Dorfer CE, Szecsenyi J (2008) [Patient evaluation of dental care. Results of a written patient survey in dental practices.] Gesundheitswesen (Bundesverband der Arzte des Offentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes (Germany)) 70, 525–531.
| [Patient evaluation of dental care. Results of a written patient survey in dental practices.]Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD1crps12jsg%3D%3D&md5=7256ffaca44bdd5d5b59cae44acdf015CAS |
Kroon J, Reid KE, Cutting JR, Lalloo R, Chiu KC (2014) Opinion of residents from the Gold Coast, Queensland, on community water fluoridation. Journal Of Investigative and Clinical Dentistry 5, 58–64.
| Opinion of residents from the Gold Coast, Queensland, on community water fluoridation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23188484PubMed |
Lalloo R, Kroon J (2013) Analysis of public dental service waiting lists in Queensland. Australian Journal of Primary Health.
| Analysis of public dental service waiting lists in Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23927861PubMed |
Lalloo R, Evans JL, Johnson NW (2013) Dental students’ reflections on clinical placement in a rural and indigenous community in Australia. Journal of Dental Education 77, 1193–1201.
Lewis JM, Campain AC, Wright FA (1997) Accessibility of and client satisfaction with dental services in Melbourne. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 21, 191–198.
| Accessibility of and client satisfaction with dental services in Melbourne.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK2szgsVOitg%3D%3D&md5=d20ba24042765df21fc6e4324002a28dCAS | 9161077PubMed |
Marmot M, Bell R (2011) Social determinants and dental health. Advances in Dental Research 23, 201–206.
| Social determinants and dental health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3MvjsVarsw%3D%3D&md5=532ed3d5f9aaafcf30fb3c045d9a9ca0CAS | 21490231PubMed |
North S, Davidson LE, Blinkhorn AS, Mackie IC (2007) The effects of a long wait for children’s dental general anaesthesia. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 17, 105–109.
| The effects of a long wait for children’s dental general anaesthesia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17263860PubMed |
NSW Government Health (2013) Reductions in the number of NSW residents waiting for public dental care. (NSW Ministry of Health: Sydney) Available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/oralhealth/Pages/public-dental-care-waiting.aspx [Verified 13 September 2013]
Ponnusamy A, Monty R, Alam N, Kruger E, Tennant M (2013) Three year retrospective analysis of computer-assisted emergency dental triage in Tasmania, Australia. Rural and Remote Health 13, 2353
Prabhu NT, Nunn JH, Evans DJ, Girdler NM (2010) Access to dental care-parents’ and caregivers’ views on dental treatment services for people with disabilities. Special Care in Dentistry 30, 35–45.
| Access to dental care-parents’ and caregivers’ views on dental treatment services for people with disabilities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20415799PubMed |
Queensland Government (2013a) Public dental waiting lists. (Queensland Government: Brisbane) Available at https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/public-dental-waiting-lists [Verified 8 January 2013]
Queensland Government (2013b) Hospital performance. (Queensland Government: Brisbane) Available at http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hospitalperformance/default.aspx [Verified 8 January 2013]
Queensland Health (2012) ‘Oral health services waiting lists guidelines.’ (Queensland Health: Brisbane)
Queensland Health (2013) Oral health categories. (Queensland Health: Brisbane) Available at http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hospitalperformance/oh-indicators.aspx?clinic=1 [Verified 1 November 2013]
Queensland Health (2014) Dental wait lists improving. (Queensland Health: Brisbane) Available at http://www.health.qld.gov.au/news/stories/140210-dental.asp [Verified 10 February 2014]
Sheiham A, Watt RG (2000) The common risk factor approach: a rational basis for promoting oral health. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology 28, 399–406.
| The common risk factor approach: a rational basis for promoting oral health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M3gsF2ntg%3D%3D&md5=b529cbbea120ff89a0075eba4a4da7beCAS | 11106011PubMed |
Slack-Smith L, Lange A, Paley G, O’Grady M, French D, Short L (2010) Oral health and access to dental care: a qualitative investigation among older people in the community. Gerodontology 27, 104–113.
| Oral health and access to dental care: a qualitative investigation among older people in the community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19572921PubMed |
The Advertiser (2012) Two million can’t afford dental care. (News Corp Australia: Adelaide) Available at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/two-million-cant-afford-dental-care/story-e6frea8c-1226343086902 [Verified 6 March 2013]
The Age Victoria (2012) Dental care leaves a bad taste in many mouths. (Fairfax Media: Melbourne) Available at http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/dental-care-leaves-a-bad-taste-in-many-mouths-20120615-20f6k.html [Verified 6 March 2013]
The Courier Mail (2013) Queensland Government public dental treatment voucher scheme halves waiting list. (News Corp Australia: Brisbane) Available at http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-goverment-public-dental-treatment-voucher-scheme-halves-waiting-list/story-fnihsrf2-1226738617023 [Verified 12 October 2013]
The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory (2012) Dental waiting lists revealed in data revolution. (Queensland Government: Brisbane) Available at http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2012/11/14/dental-waiting-lists-revealed-in-data-revolution [Verified 6 March 2013]
The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory (2013) Queensland dental waiting list blitz clears almost 50,000 patients. (Queensland Government: Brisbane) Available at http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/10/12/queensland-dental-waiting-list-blitz-clears-almost-50000-patients [Verified 12 October 2013]
The Sydney Morning Herald (2013) Waiting times for NSW children to see a public dentist increase by up to 22 per cent. (Fairfax Media: Sydney) Available at http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/waiting-times-for-nsw-children-to-see-a-public-dentist-increase-by-up-to-22-per-cent-20131113-2xh0s.html [Verified 14 November 2013]
The West Australian (2012) Blowout in waiting list for dentists. (Seven West Media: Perth) Available at http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/15031042/blowout-in-waiting-list-for-dentists/ [Verified 6 March 2013]
Tuominen R, Eriksson AL (2012) Patient experiences during waiting time for dental treatment. Acta Odontologica Scandinavica 70, 21–26.
| Patient experiences during waiting time for dental treatment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 21504269PubMed |
Tuominen R, Tuominen M (1998) Satisfaction with dental care among elderly Finnish men. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology 26, 95–100.
| Satisfaction with dental care among elderly Finnish men.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK1czgslejuw%3D%3D&md5=216984449688c8ad8fafacc617869a8bCAS | 9645402PubMed |
