Evaluation of Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives: Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024

Running head: HEALTH POLICY
Health policy
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

1HEALTH POLICY
Executive summary:
The policy briefing gives an evaluation of the Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives:
Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024. This plan has been implemented to reduce the
burden of oral disease in Australia and reduce the cost associated with medical service for oral
disease. The review of the problems suggest presence of severe problems such as increased
medical cost, prevalence of oral caries in children and adults, lack of dental visits per year and
disproportionate burden of oral disease in Australia. The policy briefing identified challenges
like retention and recruitment of oral staffs in remote areas, lack of funding arrangement and lack
of culturally appropriate service. The policy briefs is in support of the policy and recommends
continuing with the policy by strengthening health insurance coverage and increasing cross-
cultural education related to oral health in Australia.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................3
Significance of the policy and the extent of the problem:...............................................................3
An evaluation of challenges in addressing the issue:......................................................................6
Identification of possible options or interventions available to the decision maker:......................8
Recommendations for action:..........................................................................................................9
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................10
References:....................................................................................................................................11

3HEALTH POLICY
Introduction:
Good oral health is paramount for health and well-being. However, when oral health is
compromised, it leads to diverse challenges such as difficulty in eating, speaking and socializing.
Presence of oral disease such as caries, tooth decay and tooth loss is cause of pain,
embarrassment and discomfort for people (Halvari, Halvari & Deci, 2019). Hence, oral health
should be prioritized to promote health and well-being of a population. With this vision, the oral
care policy of Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives: Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024
has been developed in Australia. It is a national policy on oral care and the main goal of this
health plan is to improve oral health status of Australians and reduce the burden of poor oral
outcomes (Australian Government, 2015). As a national policy means involvement of the
government and the other important stakeholders in resolving the problem, understanding and
interpreting the significance of such a policy is important. This policy brief critically analyses the
National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024 by looking at validity of the problem it is addressing and
the challenges to addressing the issue. Based on the availability of possible interventions for
decision makers, this policy briefs give final recommendation regarding continuing with the
policy in the future.
Significance of the policy and the extent of the problem:
Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024 was developed with the intention to
reduce the burden of oral disease in Australia. Comprehensive review of the statistics on oral
health of Australians and its overall impact on cost to health care and quality of life can help to
identify the significance of making such national oral health plan in Australia. The burden of