By NATALIE GALLENTI
PUBLIC dental patients in Melton will now benefit from an $85.4 million funding boost by the State Government.
As a result of the national partnership agreement on treating more dental patients more dental services are set to be delivered to the state’s eligible population, helping to reduce adult waiting lists and improve access to care.
The funding injection will be rolled out during a two-year period and will be issued to public dental agencies across the state, by Dental Health Services Victoria in partnership with the Victorian Department of Health.
Bruce Marshall, chief executive of Djerriwarrh Health Services, last week welcomed the announcement and the opportunity to deliver some additional services to provide more dental treatment for eligible local residents.
“I am pleased to see a strong recognition of dental health as a priority health issue. This is a significant initiative to be delivered in a relatively short timeframe,” he said.
Mr Marshall said as a result of the funding boost, the public dental service at Melton Health would open additional evening and Saturday sessions from this month. The services will be available to patients on the Melton Health public dental waiting list.
“Due to the high demand for public dental services, there is a waiting list for both general care and denture care for adult patients.
“Our staff will assess your eligibility during the initial contact with the service. Adults must have a current healthcare or pensioner concession card to be eligible for public dental care.”
