Oral health of adults in the public dental sector

This report presents findings from adult patients receiving public dental care. Patients eligible for public dental care are primarily holders of government entitlement cards such as aged pensioners and the unemployed. Findings are presented on tooth loss, dental caries and periodontal disease, and comparisons are made between public dental patients and the Australian population using data from the National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-06. The higher prevalence of an inadequate dentition, presence of decayed teeth and periodontal pockets among public dental patients compared to the Australian population indicates that this low income group suffers from disadvantage in oral health status related to their lower socio-economic status and ability to access dental services