SENIORS are among the most frequent callers to the Australian Dental Association NSW free community advice line staffed by retired dentists.
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NSW president Sabrina Manickham said the line received more than 1000 calls every year, many from older people asking about dental treatment options.
Questions on the cost of treatment, private health insurance, procedures and treatment options, and choosing a dentist were also common. “The hotline was introduced in the mid-1990s in response to an increasing number of calls from the public,” Dr Manickham said.
“At the time the association’s general staff didn’t have sufficient knowledge or experience to answer the questions, so the hotline was set up with two recently retired dentists.
“The dentists who provide the service have a thorough knowledge of the latest dental treatments, procedures, trends, fees and government assistance programs.”
Recent cases have included a 63-year-old woman who was seeking advice on whether her proposed dental procedure was safe while she was taking her osteoporosis medication.
Another older caller who had been advised to have expensive root canal therapy used the hotline to discuss average prices and alternative treatment options. The hotline operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Phone 02-8436-9900.
