Free Dental Leads Labor Election Promises

Victorians are being promised universal free dental care if Labor wins November’s state election, but the ambitious commitment raises questions over how it will be funded.

Premier Ben Carroll announced the policy on 24 August, describing it as the first new policy Labor will take to the election.

Under the promise, a re-elected Labor Government would establish 10 public dental clinics across Victoria, offering free services to all Victorian residents, regardless of age or income.

Every Victorian would be eligible for a free annual check-up, with the clinics expected to eventually treat more than 100,000 people each year.

Labor says the clinics would operate similarly to Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, opening every day, with the first 10 intended as the beginning of a broader statewide network.

However, Carroll did not detail in his speech how much the policy would cost or how the government would fund an expansion beyond the initial clinics.

The commitment comes as dental care remains largely outside the federal Medicare system.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has previously poured cold water on universal free dental at a federal level, saying it was “not a priority”.

“Although Labor has in its platform and ambition to bring dental into Medicare more broadly, we don’t have the capacity to do that in the immediate future,” Butler said last year.

Carroll argued the investment would ultimately save money through greater access to preventative care.

Labor says almost 10,000 Victorians each year access their superannuation to pay for dental treatment, with an average withdrawal of $25,000.

The election promise will now face scrutiny over its cost, funding and capacity ahead of November.