Impact of dental National Partnership Agreements on public dental service waiting lists in Queensland.

CONCLUSIONS: While the 'blitz' was successful in reducing waiting list numbers, this was not sustained. The deferred federal funding to states/territories for dental services may have worsened the situation. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: While an injection of funds to reduce the waiting list is important and has had an impact, to adequately address oral health will require not just continuing funding, but also a shift away from the current curative 'downstream' approach towards a health-promotive 'upstream' approach. This will reduce not only the cost of treatment, but also waiting lists. PMID: 27625069 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Aust N Z J Public Health Source Type: research