Gobsmacked over dentist wait

By Alison Noonan
A CRANBOURNE North student is appalled at the “second-class” treatment given to public health patients for vital dental treatment.
Kasie Timms claims she has suffered a painful wait since March for much needed oral surgery to remove four impacted wisdom teeth.
The 18-year-old is also in need of braces, treatment to correct an open bite and the onset of gum disease.
However Ms Timms, one of six children to a single mother, said she was unable to afford private health cover and must now wait for up to two years for treatment under the current public waiting list.
“I attended the Royal Dental Hospital of Victoria in March and was placed on the waiting list for treatment,” she said.
“In early November I began to experience a great deal of pain so I went to the local dentist for an emergency appointment.
“They referred me to another dentist in Dandenong who again put me on a waiting list.
“I didn’t have the money to go private so I had no choice but to wait.”
Ms Timms said after waiting a few days she noticed rapid movement in the direction of her teeth and some began to wobble.
In a great deal of pain, she went back to her local dentist who again referred her to the Royal Dental Hospital in the city.
“According to the oral surgery department the waiting list was until March/April 2006,” she said.
“I knew that if I waited until then my front teeth would fall out at the age of 18.
“I went in to emergency in the city and waited four and a half hours. Finally my number came up and I paid the fee.
“I was then told I would have to wait another two to three hours. I was also told that the dentist wouldn’t be able to do much else and in the long run I’d most likely just have to wait.
“I had another appointment in Cranbourne and after waiting six hours without being seen, I had to leave as I was catching public transport.”
Ms Timms said she felt helpless and depressed, frustrated at a system that seemed to help only the wealthy that could afford private health cover.
“I would probably get in straight away if I was a private patient, but I just don’t have the money,” she said.
“It’s not fair. I feel like no one will help me or listen.
“No-one can help me unless I have money. The government is putting wealthier people above everyone else and it shouldn’t be like that.”
Ms Timms said she would just have to cope with the pain until she could be seen sometime next year.
“Because my wisdom teeth are growing on a diagonal only a specialist can take them out,” she said.
“I just have to take Panadol and wait it out.
“There is a serious problem with health services in Victoria and I am so disappointed.”
A spokesperson for Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said waiting times for public health treatment skyrocketed after the Federal Dental Scheme was scrapped almost a decade ago.
He said the State Government had last year injected $96 million into the public dental system, which had seen waiting times drop for the first time in 10 years.
“Even with a $14 billion surplus the Federal Government still refuses to contribute any money in to the public health system,” the spokesperson said.
“It is a disgrace that in modern day Australia people are having to wait this long for vital dental treatment in such a rich country.”