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The Australian Dental Association NSW (ADA NSW) has backed calls for a Medicare-funded urgent care clinic in Dubbo, saying the service could help relieve pressure on emergency departments increasingly treating preventable dental conditions across regional NSW.
ADA NSW board member and Dubbo dentist, Dr Sophie Halpin, said communities across Western NSW are facing growing demand for urgent healthcare services as patients delay treatment due to rising living costs and limited access to care.
“Many patients are putting off routine dental visits because of financial pressure, and unfortunately that often means they present later with serious pain, swelling or infection,” Dr Halpin said.
“We know Dubbo Base Hospital and other regional emergency departments are already dealing with preventable dental-related presentations that could have been managed earlier in a dental setting.”
The comments follow renewed calls for Dubbo to secure a Medicare urgent care clinic, with similar bulk-billed walk-in services already operating in Orange and Bathurst. Urgent care clinics provide treatment for non-life-threatening conditions without the need for a referral and are designed to reduce pressure on busy hospital emergency departments.
Dr Halpin said the model could provide important support for regional healthcare systems struggling with increasing demand.
“Anything that helps divert non-emergency cases away from overstretched hospital emergency departments is a positive step for regional communities.
“Urgent care clinics won’t replace the need for ongoing dental treatment, but they can form part of a broader healthcare solution that improves patient access and reduces pressure on hospitals.”
ADA NSW said pressure on regional dental services continues to grow despite major efforts by NSW Health. According to NSW Health data, NSW public dental clinics delivered 837,902 appointments to more than 341,000 patients during 2024–25.
In Western NSW Local Health District alone, public dental services managed more than 55,300 calls through the Dental Contact Centre and treated almost 30,000 patients during the same period.
Despite these efforts, Dr Halpin said long waiting times and limited access to dental care in regional communities continue to push patients toward emergency departments for preventable issues.
ADA NSW said continued investment in regional health infrastructure, preventative oral health programs and affordable access to dental care will be essential to improving health outcomes across Western NSW.