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Gippslanders face dental delays as emergency voucher funding runs out under Allan Labor government

Gippslanders face dental wait times of up to 20 months as VEDS funding runs out, leaving patients without affordable care and adding pressure to public health services.

By news@gippsland - 15th May 2025 - Back to News

Gippslanders are facing wait times of up to 20 months to access general dental care under the Allan Labor government as funding for the Victorian Emergency Dental Vouchers Scheme (VEDS) has run dry.

Danny O'Brien says Gippslanders in pain are contacting him, unable to afford private dental care as VEDS funding ends

Vouchers run out

Sale Public Dental Clinic - which is operated through Central Gippsland Health Services and is the sole public dental provider for all of Gippsland South - has run out of vouchers for the first time in years.

The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O'Brien raised concerns in Parliament last month after it was revealed that the scheme had exhausted its annual budget four months ahead of the end of the financial year. "VEDS is an invaluable program for regional areas like Gippsland with large catchment areas and trouble retaining full-time dentists to work in the public service."

"The average wait-time in Gippsland South is usually just a few months because the vouchers allow patients to seek treatment at a private clinic to ease some of the burden on the public clinic - without the vouchers patients are left in limbo," Mr O'Brien said.

Dental care crisis

Mr O'Brien said he called on the Minister to address the shortfall in funding and was met with, quite frankly, a very curt response: "Voucher activity has remained consistent since 2021-22. I am baffled by the Minister's response, particularly when it is in clear contrast to the experiences of those on the ground. It is frustrating that I am receiving such a clinical response that appears to ignore the evidence from those in need."

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's (AIHW) oral health and dental care report more than 87,000 hospitalisations occurred in 2022-2023 for dental conditions that could have been avoided if the patient had accessed treatment earlier. Mr O'Brien said since the VEDS program ran out of funding, he has had several calls and emails to his office from Gippslanders seeking help to access dental care.

"The people contacting me for help are in pain and cannot afford to attend a private clinic. Without access to VEDS the pressure is put back on to our already overworked hospital staff. It is clear the Allan Labor government can't manage dental services or health services in general and it is Gippslanders who are paying the price," Mr O'Brien said.

Pictures from Bass Coast Health Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com