Improving oral health has taken centre stage at a global level; but in Australia, the public voice has been absent from such discussions. Here, we quantify opinions of working-age Australians on the essentiality and affordability of oral health care and show that, although it is considered essential, there is a clear barrier to accessibility due to unaffordability, particularly for disadvantaged groups. Universal oral health coverage principles need to be implemented for all Australians to receive equitable oral health care.