One in three Australian adults now has untreated tooth decay, as more people skip dental visits because of rising living costs. The consequences go beyond appearance-dentists are seeing more patients with infections, abscesses, and emergencies that could have been avoided with regular checkups.
Dr Monica Farrelly, a dentist in Sydney, sees the trend every week. "People are obviously feeling the cost of living pressures so dentistry, and especially preventive dentistry, ends up being delayed," she says. What might have been a quick clean or a small filling often turns into severe pain, swelling, or even a trip to the hospital. Farrelly compares dental care to car maintenance: skip it, and you risk a breakdown. Still, many Australians are putting off appointments to save money.
In 2024-25, the median cost of a full dental crown in Australia reached $1,684, with insurance typically covering only $720-leaving patients to pay around $1,000 out-of-pocket.
Aged Care Guide
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) recently found that more than two million Australians have skipped a dentist visit because they can't afford it. Young adults aged 18 to 25 are especially affected, often losing family health insurance just as they start paying rent or tuition.
Emily Novo, a university student in Sydney, put off a dental visit until a sore tooth turned into a full-blown infection. "I thought I had a really extreme case of lockjaw, which I've never experienced before," Novo says. A GP sent her to the emergency room, where doctors found an abscess between her wisdom tooth and gum. She spent a week on antibiotics, living on soup, and now admits the whole ordeal could have been avoided with a routine clean. But with basic visits costing $300 to $500, she, like many others, waited too long.
The ADA's data shows the scale of the problem: six in ten young Australians have had pain, swelling, infection, or discomfort from wisdom teeth. Nearly 40 percent skip mouthguards during contact sports, risking injuries that could be prevented. At the same time, 60 percent say social media has pushed them to consider cosmetic dental work, from whitening to veneers and aligners. The focus on "Instagram teeth" and the "social six"-the front upper teeth-has never been stronger, says Farrelly. She warns that chasing cosmetic trends without proper advice can cause lasting damage to teeth and gums.
According to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, the preliminary General Treatment Dental annual report for 2025-26 compiles official data on dental services and patient trends from 2023-24 to 2025-26, providing the most up-to-date figures for demand and payment patterns in Australian dentistry.
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Dental costs are not just a personal burden-they reflect a gap in national health policy. ADA president Dr Chris Sanzaro supports the creation of a new national oral health group to develop a National Oral Health Plan, aiming to bring dental care into mainstream health reform. "For too long, dental has sat outside the national health reform conversation, even though it's one of the most common reasons people avoid care because of cost," Sanzaro says. The plan, according to Health Minister Mark Butler's office, is being developed with states, territories, and the dental sector, with the goal of improving oral health and reducing inequalities over the next decade. Final approval is expected before the end of 2026.
Financial barriers are not the only risk. As reported earlier, the search for affordable dental care has also made Australians targets for scams and misinformation, putting vulnerable groups at even greater risk.
Australia's dental crisis is playing out now, in emergency rooms and dental clinics across the country. The evidence is clear: delaying care does not save money-it leads to more pain and higher costs later. Until dental health is treated as a core part of the national health system, millions will keep paying the price with their health and their wallets.
Industry analysis shows that in 2022-23, private health insurers paid out about $2.5 billion in dental benefits, with dental care making up roughly 13% of all private health insurance spending. Even small changes in insurance coverage can have a big impact on Australians' access to dental treatment.
