Medical Service Use for Dental Problems in Australia: A National Cross-Sectional Study
- 1Adelaide University
Abstract
AimTo examine how and why Australians seek medical rather than dental care for dental problems, and to describe the pathways and treatments provided within medical settings.
Subjects and MethodsData were drawn from the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey (NDTIS) 2021, a nationally representative survey of 5,526 adults. Survey-weighted analyses estimated the prevalence and sociodemographic predictors of medical service use for dental problems. Among respondents who sought medical care, we identified the highest-intensity pathway used (general practice/other primary care, emergency department, hospital admission) and described treatment received--including prescription medications, non-pharmaceutical interventions, and referrals--stratified by reason for presentation.
ResultsOverall, 4.4% of adults sought medical care for a dental problem in the preceding year. Prevalence was substantially higher among Indigenous adults (13.5%), low-income groups (6.5%), and those eligible for public dental care (8.5%). Emergency departments were the dominant pathway (76.9%), followed by hospital admission (13.6%) and primary care (9.5%). Toothache/wisdom-tooth problems and oral injuries had the highest rates of antibiotic prescribing, while procedural care predominated for oral injuries. Other acute dental problems were managed heterogeneously, with many receiving only advice or symptomatic treatment. Referral to a dentist was uncommon across all groups.
ConclusionA significant proportion of Australians rely on medical services for dental problems, particularly those facing financial and geographic barriers to dental care. These encounters frequently provide symptomatic rather than definitive treatment and rarely include referral for follow-up dental care. The findings highlight gaps in access to timely dental services and the need for strengthened integration between medical and dental systems, improved referral mechanisms, and policy interventions to reduce preventable and inappropriate medical presentations for dental conditions.
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BibTeX
@misc{luzzi2026medical,
title = {{Medical Service Use for Dental Problems in Australia: A National Cross-Sectional Study}},
author = {L. Luzzi and K. M. McCormick and N. Amarasena and G. Mejia and S. Chrisopoulos},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.17.26363370},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.17.26363370v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Medical Service Use for Dental Problems in Australia: A National Cross-Sectional Study
AU - L. Luzzi
AU - K. M. McCormick
AU - N. Amarasena
AU - G. Mejia
AU - S. Chrisopoulos
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/17
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.17.26363370
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.17.26363370v1
AB - AimTo examine how and why Australians seek medical rather than dental care for dental problems, and to describe the pathways and treatments provided within medical settings. Subjects and MethodsData were drawn from the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey (NDTIS) 2021, a nationally representative survey of 5,526 adults. Survey-weighted analyses estimated the prevalence and sociodemographic predictors of medical service use for dental problems. Among respondents who sought medical care, we identified the highest-intensity pathway used (general practice/other primary care, emergency department, hospital admission) and described treatment received--including prescription medications, non-pharmaceutical interventions, and referrals--stratified by reason for presentation. ResultsOverall, 4.4% of adults sought medical care for a dental problem in the preceding year. Prevalence was substantially higher among Indigenous adults (13.5%), low-income groups (6.5%), and those eligible for public dental care (8.5%). Emergency departments were the dominant pathway (76.9%), followed by hospital admission (13.6%) and primary care (9.5%). Toothache/wisdom-tooth problems and oral injuries had the highest rates of antibiotic prescribing, while procedural care predominated for oral injuries. Other acute dental problems were managed heterogeneously, with many receiving only advice or symptomatic treatment. Referral to a dentist was uncommon across all groups. ConclusionA significant proportion of Australians rely on medical services for dental problems, particularly those facing financial and geographic barriers to dental care. These encounters frequently provide symptomatic rather than definitive treatment and rarely include referral for follow-up dental care. The findings highlight gaps in access to timely dental services and the need for strengthened integration between medical and dental systems, improved referral mechanisms, and policy interventions to reduce preventable and inappropriate medical presentations for dental conditions.
ER -