VOHA meets Minister Pike

Representatives of the Victorian Oral Health Alliance (VOHA) met Victorian Health Minister Bronwyn Pike today to seek her Government's commitment to implement a range of measures designed to improve public dental health. These measures were outlined in VOHA's Ideal Dental Health Policy Platform.

The Victorian Oral Health Alliance (VOHA) is an informal and non-aligned group of consumer, welfare and professional bodies committed to improving public dental health. The VOHA was formed in 2004 in the lead up to the last Federal Election, and campaigned on the basis of agreed positions on areas of need that should be addressed by the Commonwealth. Its current focus is on the Victorian State Election scheduled for 25 November 2006.

Members of the VOHA include:
Health Issues Centre (Victoria)
Public Health Association of Australia Inc.
Victorian Healthcare Association
Dental Hygienists Association of Australia, Victorian Branch
Australian Dental Therapists Association
Rural Workforce Agency, Victoria
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Victorian Council of Social Services
Victorian Aboriginal Cooperative Community Health Organisation
Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch Inc.

The meeting with the Minister emphasised that whilst the Victorian Government had made significant improvements to dental funding since 2003, much more still needs to be done to reduce waiting times to an acceptable level, especially in rural Victoria. Many other measures, including stronger preventive measures were also advocated, in recognition that most dental disease is preventable. Targetted funding for groups with greater need was also advocated, in particular for residents of aged care facilities and Koori communities.

The Minister was supportive of more being done to improve public dental health, but no specific commitments were given.