Question regarding wait times at the Australind Dental Therapy Centre for children, specifically concerning recall examinations and subsequent treatment, including extractions for overcrowding. The response indicates data limitations and varying wait times depending on treatment and specialist referrals.

AnsweredQoN 1091Legislative Council
Asked
24 September 2015
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

AUSTRALIND DENTAL THERAPY CENTRE
1091. Hon ADELE FARINA to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Australind Dental
Therapy Centre.
(1) What is the
average wait time between a recall examination and the patient receiving
treatment for any problems identified at the examination?
(2) Does the wait time differ
depending on the treatment required?
(3) If, for
example, a child is experiencing overcrowding of their teeth and requires a
tooth to be extracted, what is the wait time between the recall examination at
which the need for treatment is confirmed and the appointment for the
extraction?
(4) If yes to (2), what treatment
incurs the longest wait time and what is that wait time?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) This
information is not automatically recorded and would require manual review of
all individual patient records to provide an answer.
(2) Yes. Wait
times will differ depending on the treatment modality required. Emergency
dental care is usually provided on the day of presentation to a dental therapy
centre, known as a DTC, with follow-up appointments to conclude this emergency
episode of care scheduled as required.
It should be noted that students are
generally provided with an initial course of care during the first year of
enrolment in the school dental service, known as an SDS. In some cases parents
may opt to have their children treated privately. Students are then placed on a
recall waiting list to undergo a periodic recall examination, which is
dependent upon their clinical needs.
(3) The SDS
provides dental care to a level of a general dental practitioner. Extractions
for crowding or orthodontic issues are generally requested by specialist
orthodontists following a referral from a DTC at a recall examination. Times
for extractions will vary depending on receipt of a request from the specialist
orthodontist.
(4) This
information is also not automatically recorded and would require manual review
of all individual patient records to provide an answer.

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