Dr Chris Sanzaro, ADA (Tas) President.

Dental workforce in Tasmania and Australia Dental & oral diseases – what do we do? Scope of practice – who does what for whom? Dental education – who trains whom? Workforce predictions – how many do we need?

Dental & oral diseases Dental caries and tooth loss Periodontal disease and tooth loss Oral mucosal lesions and neoplasias

Dental caries and tooth loss Despite water fluoridation, & other preventive measures caries is still prevalent. Tooth loss

Periodontal diseases “Gum disease” Tooth loss

Oral mucosal lesions and neoplasias

Scope of practice What do we have in Tasmania? Dentist – Specialists in Tasmania Endodontists Periodontists Orthodontists Paedodontists Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons – Specialists not in Tasmania Prosthodontists Oral Pathologists Dento-maxillofacial radiologists Forensic odontologists Oral Medicine specialists Special Needs Dentists

Dental Auxilliaries What do we have in Tasmania? Dental Hygienist Dental Therapist Oral Health Therapist Dental Prosthetist

Dental Education Universities Role of universities Businesses? Knowledge transfer? Education & Research?

Dental Education Universities Demand driven places Increase in graduates *>620 * Award Course Completions, Department of Innovation 2007–2012. *Data from 2013 provided by Australasian Council of Dental Schools

Dental Education Overseas - ADC ADC examination Immigration

Dental Auxilliaries Registration category Dec 2013* Dental hygienist Dental therapist Dental hygienist and dental therapist N/A Oral health therapist Total Allied dental practitioners registration data Source: AIHW Dental Workforce 2012 and *DBA

The basic numbers Need 510 new dentists per year – Retirement – Population growth Graduates and migrants 930 per year Already have an oversupply – New grads unemployed & underemployed – Practical experience is lost

Workforce projections Health Workforce Australia – Report – not yet published Calls it “Underutilisation” Lost in the change of government and disbanding of HWA Oversupply until at least 2025 – No-one has looked beyond 2025

Previous undersupply or a maldistribution? Metropolitan vs regional / rural Elective / cosmetic treatment vs basic health Changed spending patterns Tasmanian experience

Recent Changes Australia Wide – Less job vacancies – Size of town vs sustainability of practice Tasmania – Anecdotal evidence of significant changes – Less job vacancies – Most surgeries are fully staffed – Emergency appointment availability – Several new specialists, better availability

Who pays for dentistry?

Access Surveys show 1/3 of Australians don’t access dental care due to cost Public dental scheme: – HCC / PCC holders Private Dentists – Increased access to appointments over last 5 years in Tas. ADA’s “Dental Access”

Action required Funding – Dental Access Limit dental student places at Universities Remove dentistry from TTMR Remove Dentists from the Skilled Occupation List

Where are our dental students heading?

Thankyou Dr Chris Sanzaro