Free dental care for Victorians must first reach those most in need

MEDIA RELEASE

VCOSS welcomes the announcement from Premier Ben Carroll that a re-elected Carroll Labor Government will deliver free dental care to Victorians, introducing 10 free Public Dental Clinics across the state.

This is a promising announcement for Victorians, many of whom cannot afford dental care. More than 10,000 Victorians have been forced to draw on their superannuation savings to meet urgent dental care needs. Many more are not seeking the dental care they need – and simply putting up with the pain – because they can’t afford it. This highlights a growing gap between people’s right to essential services and their ability to access and afford them. VCOSS sees this policy as an important step towards closing that gap.

Basic health services, including dental care, should never be out of reach for any Victorian.

With the planned rollout of 10 free dental care clinics across the state – seven in metro areas and three in regional Victoria – VCOSS urges the government to carefully consider those who are hardest hit by high dental care fees and to ensure that these services are designed to reach low-income Victorians first and foremost – targeting areas where the need is greatest.

As the Carroll Government makes plans to unveil further election campaign commitments, VCOSS is calling for the urgent prioritisation of major essential needs that are currently far too inaccessible for thousands of Victorians hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis. Dental is only one of these – others include housing, food and energy.

For more details see VCOSS 2026 Election Platform: https://vcoss.org.au/vcoss-2026-election-platform/

Quotes attributable to VCOSS CEO, Juanita Pope:

“Victorians are living through some of the toughest financial times in decades. And for too long, they have been struggling with the exorbitant costs of dental care. For low-income Victorians, dental care is simply another essential need they cannot access. This commitment is a game changer for low-income Victorians who have been going without.”

“Too many have been raiding their future retirement savings to pay for unaffordable dental costs, or simply deferring the economic pain of a trip to the dentist while putting up with the inevitable physical pain at the same time.”

“With a planned roll out of free dental care clinics limited to three regional and seven metro clinics, we strongly urge the government to ensure that these services are designed to reach low-income Victorians first and foremost – targeting areas where the need is greatest. We’d love to see universal free dental care but until that is a reality we need to focus on Victorians who are struggling to put food on the table and pay the rent.”

“We need investment like this to create healthier, safer and more equitable communities. This promising election commitment is a great step forward for our state, and in firming up plans we call on the government to put significant consideration into how these services will prioritise Victorians most in need.”