Australia's new federal budget eliminated the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme, cutting a $3 billion program which subsidized dental care for the chronically ill, ABC News reported.
The nature of dental healthcare funding for the poor and underserved is changing. The old plan was designed to fund complex dental work through Medicare. The new $53 million plan will go toward efforts to get trainee dentists to participate in internships in public or remote clinics, ABC News reported.
The former program provided up to $4,000 per person for major dental procedures. The Australian Dental Association criticized that old scheme as being "poorly targeted," "not means-tested," and the source of high costs, the article noted.
The new budget will also dedicate $500,000 toward the creation of a national dental advisory council, the article stated.
