You can read our submission here.

People with intellectual disability continue to experience poorer oral health and access to dental care than people without intellectual disability. There can be serious consequences of neglecting oral health. 

The National Oral Health Plan is an Australian Government plan to improve oral health for all Australians.  
 We think that the next National Oral Health Plan 2025 – 2034 should help shape better oral health outcomes for people with intellectual disability.  
 
We have told the government what we think. You can read our submission here.
 
Our recommendations 
 
In our submission we make 5 recommendations. They are: 
 

1. Implement the National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability: The Australian Government should work with states and territories to implement key actions relating to oral health.  
2. That training, resourcing and design of dental care considers how to attract new dentists to special needs dentistry, upskills the existing workforce, and provides reasonable adjustments for people with intellectual disability. 
3. Affordability of dental care for people with intellectual disability is considered. 
4. A health promotion campaign for disability support staff is developed to improve oral health literacy, building momentum on the Roadmap recommendations.  
5. Accessible information, tools and materials regarding oral health and public dentistry options are developed for people with intellectual disability. 

We urge the government to listen to our recommendations so that oral health outcomes can be improved for people with intellectual disability.