Medical Dental Teen Plan - Term Paper Example

 Medical Dental Teen Plan Introduction The Medical Dental Teen Plan of Australia was introduced by the Australian government on July 2008 as a financial assistance program to families as a means of encouraging teenagers to care for their teeth through regular check-ups (Department of Health and Ageing, 2010). It was meant to help these teenagers maintain good dental health habits even after they leave their homes. Since its implementation, there have been various discussions about its impact on the general teenage population. Some believe that it has brought forth innumerable benefits to the teenagers, while others point out its risks and disadvantages. This paper shall now discuss the different advantages and disadvantages of the Medical Dental Teen Plan. It shall also discuss whether or not the policy is a good public health program. This paper is being conducted in the hope of establishing a more analytical understanding of the Medical Dental Teen Plan of Australia. Discussion Advantages The Medical Dental Teen Plan of Australia is advantageous for the teenagers because their dental health services are now more affordable – no matter their station in life. Dental benefits for teenagers in Australia are supported by the government for up to $157 per calendar year for each teenager (Department of Health and Ageing, 2010). This includes a preventative dental assessment from a dentist who is accredited by Medicare Australia. Services from dental therapists and dental hygienists can also be availed by the teenagers with the supervision of the dentist (Department of Health and Ageing, 2010). Every year, there are about 1.3 million teenage Australians who are benefitted by the Medicare Teen Dental Plan. Moreover, even if the teenagers would opt for the services of their private dentist, they can still claim the benefit from the Medicare. In another option, the dentist can also claim the benefit directly from Medicare Australia for the services he would render to the teenager (Department of Health and Ageing, 2010). The Medicare Dental Teen Plan also gives an opportunity for those who are chronically ill to be managed by their general practitioner under the Enhanced Primary Care Plan (EPC) (Medicare Australia, 2010). This helps ensure that those who are chronically ill can still avail of medical and dental services despite the futility of the care which may be rendered to them. The Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people can also benefit much from the Medical Dental Teen Plan. Many of those suffering from dental diseases belong to the aboriginal population (eMJA, 2009). They suffer the most from untreated tooth decay and gum diseases – more than the other Australians. Problems in dental hygiene often lead to malnutrition, low birthweight, preterm births, and even cardiovascular diseases (eMJA, 2009). Through the Mental Dental Teen Plan, these aborigines can improve their nutrition and increase their general health outcomes. Through the Mental Dental Teen Plan, the government can implement measures: for the fluoridation of community water supplies; for the hiring of more indigenous dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists; for the conceptualization of coherent oral health promotion strategies and an indigenous oral health dataset; for the provision of high-quality, comprehensive and culturally appropriate oral health services organised on a regional basis (eMJA, 2009). The Plan gives a chance for the government to tap into their resources and to redistribute these to those who cannot afford medical and dental care. The Medical Dental Teen Plan ensures that teenagers have an opportunity to correct any medical and dental hygiene issues while they are at the appropriate age when these issues can best be resolved. The plan is very advantageous to the Australian teenagers because it helps to reduce the burden of oral disease on the country. The Plan is important because it ensures that adequate funding is made available to the teenage population in order to address a disease which is largely preventable (The Melbourne Newsroom, 2009). Untreated gum disease potentially leads to more diseases like periodontitis and, if untreated, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases may occur. Many of Australia’s children, half of them being prone to having cavities in their teeth, would benefit from this Medical Dental Teen Plan (The Melbourne Newsroom, 2009). The Plan would also assist in the implementation of prevention and early diagnosis programs for oral disease. Once again, with early diagnosis and prevention measures, it is possible to prevent the worsening of oral diseases. It is also possible to decrease the risk of cancer and other chronic dental diseases which impact on the nutrition and general health of the teenager. With prevention and early detection measures in place, it is possible to reduce the need for the clinical treatment of teenagers. With the teenagers’ dental health secured, they can reduce the need for more costly and more pervasive clinical procedures to be carried out on their person (Melbourne Newsroom, 2009). For the millions of Australians who cannot afford dental plans for themselves and for their families, this Mental Dental Teen Plan is of great benefit. Based on government authorities, about one million teenagers benefitted from the plan (The Age, 2008). And even more were able to benefit from it in the three years since this program was started. Even while this plan seems be a major drain on the country’s finances, in the long run, it will benefit the government and the country in general. The various levels of primary education in the country already benefit under the present government medical and dental programs. The Medical Dental Teen Plan provides continuity to these programs and helps ensure that the dental health of the children is still safeguarded even beyond their school age years (The Age, 2008). The program among the younger children has so far proven to be effective, with parents availing of dental benefits for their children. The program among the younger children also teaches them to take more responsibility for their dental health (The Age, 2008). That move has been successful so far. Teenagers have to be encouraged to also take responsibility for their dental health. The Medical Dental Teen Plan ensures that these teenagers do not have to worry about their financial status before they can avail of dental services (The Age, 2008). Many families in the lower income bracket are naturally deterred from going to the dentist for dental care because they basically cannot afford dental services. The program gives them the leverage and the opportunity to avail of services which their circumstances cannot provide. Moreover, the program has also cut waiting times for these patients seeking dental care (The Age, 2008). All in all, the families who can benefit from these dental services can redirect their finances to more immediate needs like groceries, clothing, petrol, and such other basic needs. This Plan helps to reduce poverty levels and helps to ensure that even those who belong to the lower income bracket can still avail of medical and dental services (The Age, 2008). The schools and concerned health agencies can also integrate dental health education programs into the school systems through the Medical Dental Teen Plan. The plan provides adequate funding to mobilize the schools and set-up information drives and dissemination which can teach the teenagers dental and medical health. Disadvantages One of the disadvantages of government-funded dental health program for teenagers is that it is a costly program for the government to finance. In the end, the cost of this program is borne by the taxpayers who are already burdened enough by the various taxes imposed by the government (Street Insider, 2010). At some point, when the need to increase funding for these dental services, taxes would again be increased and the burden on the people would also be increased. The bounds of public health become endless in this case and the burden can eventually become onerous instead of beneficial to the people (Street Insider, 2010). The people may have a tendency to be dependent on the government for aid and for the management of their dental health (Associate Publisher, 2010). The initiative on the part of the people is lost and is directed towards what the government can do for them, and it becomes something they would later demand without thought of the cost of services or burden on the general population. In this case, public health becomes a heavy burden or responsibility of the taxpayer – just because he is earning more than other average citizens (Street Insider, 2010). At some point during the delivery of dental services to the people, the people may not see beyond the burden that the health service can bring to those who pay more taxes. Another disadvantage of the Medicare Dental Teen Plan is that the quality of the dental health services under this plan may not be as good (Associate Publisher, n.d). Since the program is government funded, it is also on a tight budget. The government has to budget its funds to cover a wide range of services in order to carry out the provisions of the Plan. In the process, its funds may not be sufficient to cover the burgeoning needs of the teenagers. Consequently, the government may resort to the use of cheaper products and services for the teenagers (Associate Publisher, n.d). These products and services may sometimes be of a decreased quality. In the end, the decreased quality of services may not address the issues and problems of teenagers with their dental health. Their dental health issues may still worsen and they may still end up suffering from the original concerns in relation to their dental health. Another disadvantage of the Medical Dental Care Plan is that there is no guarantee that this program will prompt teenagers to avail of dental health services. The dental health problems among teenagers are gradually being resolved, but in essence, most of the dental health issues are still there. The implementation of the plan needs more manpower and needs a more concrete plan of action in the schools and in the community where the teenagers are very much a part of. Again, this is a costly enterprise to implement in the school and community setting. Those who oppose publicly-funded health care claim that the public health subjects the health system to bigger political pressures (Associate Publisher, n.d). Politicking can sometimes cause complications in the budget system. It subjects the health funding process to the whims of politicians who can choose to cut-down the budget for dental health. In this case, health care can become unstable. Other critiques of public health system also point out that there is a decreased focus on motivation for medical innovation and invention in public health (Associate Publisher, n.d). The focus of government funding, in this case, turns to the delivery of services to the teenagers. The focus becomes less on the new researches and innovations which the government can support in order to attain better health care services. Critiques also point out that public health can create long waiting lists for those who seek access to specialized or advanced medical treatments (Associate Publisher, n.d). Since more and more people can now avail of medical and dental services, more people are expected to seek specialized services – services which are already strained from the very start. A major disadvantage of increasing funding for public dental health services covering teenagers is the fact that there is now less motivation for the people to enter dental care professions (Associate Publisher, n.d). The salaries of dental professionals in the public system tend to the lower. Once again, the government is operating under a tight budget when it comes to providing these medical services. Consequently, they would be pressured to work within this budget in order to deliver adequate dental services. More often than not, the government cannot afford to pay for higher salaries for these dental professionals (Associate Publisher, n.d). As a result, there is less interest among interested individuals to engage in the dental profession. I consider the Medical Dental Teen Plan to be a good public health policy because it helps ensure that those who cannot afford dental health care can still avail of these services. It is a good public health policy because in its simplest and most basic foundations, it really does benefit the public very much. It helps to expand the coverage of health care beyond the monetary capacity of the general population. The Medical Dental Teen Plan is a good public health policy because it helps mobilize public health programs and activities which have been hampered by limited funds. These programs can be implemented in the schools and in the communities and all eligible individuals can benefit from it. The teenagers can be enlightened about dental health and they can integrate these activities in their lives. The implementation of regular dental health monitoring – as part of the dental health program – requires time and money. With the allocation of public funds for the program, these monitoring activities can be carried out with little concern for monetary considerations. In the end, the implementation of these activities helps to prevent and maintain the dental health of the teenage population. Prevention is important because it decreases a person’s risk of being afflicted with chronic or more serious dental diseases. Maintenance of dental health also helps prevent costly future dental services needed by a person. The Medical Dental Teen Plan is also a good public health policy because it will eventually mean fewer expenses for the government in the long run. In the current setting, the plan will likely be a major drain on the government’s budget. However, with financial support in the grassroots level for the teenagers, the chances of these teenagers experiencing dental problems in their adult years are reduced. Consequently, the government would not be spending as much for adult dental services as it normally would without this current medical dental program. Conclusion The Medical Dental Teen Plan has various advantages and disadvantages. The plan helps to ensure that all teenagers, no matter their station in life, can avail of medical and dental services. It also helps ensure that these teenagers get the dental care they need while they are at the appropriate age where dental services would greatly benefit them. This plan also helps prevent chronic dental diseases which may later cost the government more money. This plan however is also rife with problems. For one, it can create an attitude of dependence upon the people – especially those in the lower financial rungs. It can drain the government finances in their favour and at the expense of those who are more financially secure. The plan can also divert the focus from innovation and research. It can also discourage people from joining the dental professions. Despite these disadvantages however, I still consider the plan a good public health policy because its benefits far outweigh its risks and disadvantages. It gives a chance for the general population to benefit from dental services. Finally, it helps ensure that the government services are directed towards those who need it the most. Works Cited Association Publisher (n.d) Publicly-funded health care. Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://www.associatepublisher.com/e/p/pu/publicly-funded_health_care.htm Australian Dental Association (2008) Review of the Dental Benefits Act 2008. ADA. Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://www.ada.org.au/App_CmsLib/Media/Lib/1004/M222779_v1_634062353648372429.doc Department of Health and Ageing (2010) Dental Health: Medicare Teen Dental Plan. Health.gov.au. Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/dental-teen eMedical Journal of Australia (2009) Close the Gap: dentistry. eMJA, 190 (10). Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/190_10_180509/bou10386_fm.html Medicare Australia (2010) Medicare Teen Dental Plan and Medicare chronic disease dental scheme. Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/medicare/initiatives/teen-dental.jsp Street Insider (2010) Public Health Care = Higher Taxes, Lower Growth, Massive Budget Deficits and A Lower Credit Rating. Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://www.streetinsider.com/Insiders+Blog/Public+Health+Care+%3D+Higher+Taxes,+Lower+Growth,+Massive+Budget+Deficits+and+A+Lower+Credit+Rating/5460718.html The Age. (2008) Dental scheme will ease the pain: Rudd. The Age.com. Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/dental-scheme-will-ease-the-pain- rudd/2008/03/02/1204402252347.html The Melbourne Newsroom (2009) Australian dental health set to improve with $31.6M funding boost. Newsroom.com. Retrieved 19 August 2010 from http://newsroom.melbourne.edu/news/n-99 Read More