More than half of Australians over 65 are delaying vital dental care due to affordability issues, according to new findings from the Australian Dental Association (ADA).
Released today (9 April 2025), the ADA’s annual survey of 25,000 people found that 55% of seniors postponed seeing a dentist in the past year.
Of those, 64% reported that cost was the main barrier to seeking dental treatment.
Worryingly, 47% of this age group reported significant oral issues, including recent tooth or gum pain, mouth or face swelling, or oral infection — substantially higher than the 36% reported in other age groups.
A concerning picture
ADA President Dr Chris Sanzaro says paint a concerning picture: “They can’t get to the dentist regularly because they can’t afford it and so their mouths become a battleground of pain and infection management.”
The study’s findings also reveal that 37% of seniors only visit the dentist every 2-5 years, and 23% of seniors wait 5 years between visits.
The consequences of this is increased hospital admissions, says Dr Sanzaro.
“The ADA has found that 16,000 seniors were admitted to hospital for treatment of painful dental issues in 2022-23,” he says.
“That figure is expected to rise to 22,630 by 2027-28, representing a 42% increase from an already unacceptable level.
“It’s a health trend that worsens by the year.”
A costly service
Despite the cost of living crisis, dentists are reportedly doing their best to keep costs down, with fees increasing much less than CPI over the past 10 years.
However, dentistry is a costly service to provide, as practices are effectively mini operating theatres.
“With 76% of Australians supporting the introduction of a seniors dental scheme, it clearly demonstrates the groundswell of public opinion supporting our Seniors Dental Benefits Schedule,” says Dr Sanzaro.
“If that’s not clear proof that most Australians are behind the seniors’ scheme and want to see it put into action, then nothing is.”
This latest data has significant implications for pharmacy assistants, who are often the first point of contact for older Australians navigating health issues, including oral health concerns.
