4839.0 - Patient Experiences in Australia: Summary of Findings, 2013-14 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/11/2014   
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DENTAL PROFESSIONALS


Visiting a dental professional for a regular check up is important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. While there are no official guidelines in Australia as to the recommended frequency of visiting a dental professional, most dental diseases are completely preventable and therefore early intervention can assist in promoting good oral health as well as overall health. This chapter presents data on people who saw a dental professional in the previous 12 months. Respondents were asked about the services they had used, barriers to accessing care and their experience with the health care professionals.

Nationally, one in two people aged 15 years and over saw a dental professional at least once in the previous 12 months (49.7%). This proportion has remained steady over the last four years. (Table 1)

As with GPs and medical specialists, more females than males saw a dental professional (53.2% compared with 46.0%). Those aged 85 and over (38.1%) and those aged 25–34 (41.0%) were the least likely to see a dental professional. (Table 2.2)

People living in areas of least socio-economic disadvantage were more likely to see a dental professional than those living in the areas of most socio-economic disadvantage (60.4% compared with 39.1%). Similarly, people living in major cities were more likely to see a dental professional than those living in outer regional, remote or very remote areas of Australia (51.4% compared with 43.5%). (Table 3.2)

Graph Image for Proportion of persons 15 years and over, Visited a dental professional in the previous 12 months(a)

Footnote(s): (a) Includes dentist, dental hygienist and dental specialist

Source(s): Patient Experience Survey: Summary of Findings



BARRIERS

One of the benefits of a household based survey is that data can be collected from those who did not access health services as well as from those that did. It is therefore possible to obtain information from people who may have needed to access a health service, but did not access this service, and the reasons they did not access the health service.

In 2013–14, one in five people who needed to see a dental professional delayed seeing or had not seen one in the previous 12 months because of the cost (20.1%). This is a slight increase from 2012–13, where 18.4% had delayed or did not see a dental professional due to cost. Females were more likely than males to delay seeing or not see a dental professional due to cost (22.2% compared with 17.6%). (Table12.2)

People aged 25–34 were the most likely to delay seeing or not see a dental professional because of cost, with over one in four in this category (28.5%). This proportion increased to nearly one in three for females aged 25–34 years (30.5%). (Table 12.2)

Graph Image for Proportion of persons 15 years and over, Delayed or did not see a dental professional due to cost in previous 12 months(a)

Footnote(s): Includes dentist, dental hygienist and dental specialist

Source(s): Patient Experience Survey: Summary of Results



People living in the areas of most socio-economic disadvantage were twice as likely to delay seeing or not see a dental professional due to cost compared with those living in areas of least socio-economic disadvantage (28.7% compared with 11.6%). (Table 13.2)

Graph Image for Proportion of persons 15 years and over, Delayed or did not see a dental professional due to cost in previous 12 months(b)

Footnote(s): (b) Includes dentist, dental hygienist, and dental specialist for 2011 Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage: a lower Index of Disadvantage quintile (e.g. the first quintile) indicates an area with relatively greater disadvantage and a lack of advantage in general. A higher Index of Disadvantage (e.g. the fifth quintile) indicates an area with a relative lack of disadvantage and greater advantage in general.

Source(s): Patient Experience Survey: Summary of Findings



Similarly, people living in outer regional, remote or very remote areas of Australia were more likely to delay seeing or not see a dental professional due to cost compared with those living in major cities (24.8% compared with 18.3%). (Table 13.2)

PUBLIC DENTISTRY

Of the population who saw a dental professional in the previous 12 months, one in six people (16.6%) received public dental care. The rate was highest for those aged 15–24, at one in four people (24.5%). (Table 12.2)

Of those who saw a dental professional, people living in the areas of most socio-economic disadvantage were three times more likely to receive public dental care compared with those living in areas of least socio-economic disadvantage (32.1% compared with 10.5%). Similarly, of those who saw a dental professional, people living in outer regional, remote or very remote areas of Australia were more likely to receive public dental care compared with those living in major cities of Australia (21.7% compared with 15.2%). (Table 13.2)

Of the population who needed to see a dental professional in the previous 12 months, 5.5% had been placed on the public dental waiting list. People living in the areas of most socio-economic disadvantage were more likely to have been on a public dental waiting list compared with those living in areas of least socio-economic disadvantage (13.9% compared with 1.3%). Similarly, people living in outer regional, remote or very remote areas of Australia were more likely to have been on a public waiting list compared with those living in major cities of Australia (9.4% compared with 4.3%). (Table 13.2).

EXPERIENCE WITH DENTAL PROFESSIONALS

The way that a patient is treated by a health professional is an important aspect of their satisfaction with their care. All respondents who had seen a dental professional were asked for their perceptions on how they were treated by the dental professionals they had seen.

Of those who had seen a dental professional in the previous 12 months, 81.2% reported that the dental professional always listened carefully to them, 83.5% reported that they always showed them respect and 84.0% reported that they always spent enough time with them. Similar patterns were reported by male and female patients. (Table 12.2)