New patron a champion for dental health

Good dental hygiene is crucial for our general health and every Australian deserves access to affordable dentistry, the new Patron of the Australian Dental Foundation says.

Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Dr Jane Lomax-Smith has agreed to be Patron of the Foundation because she believes in access to dental health for everyone.

“Caring for your teeth and gums ensures not just good oral health but helps avoid all sorts of medical appointments,” Dr Lomax-Smith said.

“It will cause you grief and can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. Simply put, you will die younger if your teeth are in poor shape.”

Dr Lomax-Smith believes in Medicare dental coverage for all Australians, including children and seniors.

“For many patients, cost is the scariest part of going to the dentist in this country,” Dr Lomax-Smith said.

“It’s astounding to me that primary dental care remains on the outer when it comes to Medicare, despite everything from physiotherapy to speech pathologists already included in basic coverage.” 

Australian Dental Foundation chairperson Dr Greg Miller said he was pleased Dr Lomax-Smith had decided to accept a position as Patron of the Foundation.

“It is people like Jane who can shine a light on the plight of people who cannot afford dentistry. Recently released statistics show there were 87,400 preventable hospitalisations in Australia for dental issues In 2022–23, hospitalisations that could potentially have been prevented with earlier treatment,” Dr Miller said.

“That is not just impacting the individual and their general health, it is impacting  all of us through unnecessary emergency department visits and admissions.”

The Foundation has made a submission to the Federal Budget process calling for funding for a Seniors Dental program and continues to call for better coverage for children under the Child Dental Benefit Schedule.

Dr Lomax-Smith will support the foundation by promoting funding for dental work and supporting events, such as the Foundation’s Brush for Good Day in Rundle Mall later this year.

The Australian Dental Foundation is Australia’s largest dental charity and last year treated more than 24,000 people, including more than 15,261 in South Australia. Its work includes pro bono dentistry for clients of Baptist Care’s Westcare Centre in the city of Adelaide.

Caption: Dr Jane Lomax-Smith with Foundation staff Shauna Black, Dr Greg Miller and Jasmin Florance.

For more information contact Shauna Black on 0409 096 846 or shauna@dentalfoundation.org.au