Position Summary
Oral health is fundamental to overall health, wellbeing and quality of life, enabling individuals to eat, speak,
breathe, socialise and participate fully in education, work and the community. Research dedicated to oral health science is vital to address the disease burden in Australia and must be adequately funded by governments.
2. Position
2.1 National Oral Health Surveys should be conducted at least every ten years and reported in a timely
fashion. Surveys should include representative populations from all Australian states and territories to support comprehensive national monitoring and planning.
2.2 The Commonwealth Government must adequately fund National Oral Health Surveys.
2.3 Data collection for National Oral Health Surveys should be conducted through clinical examination by registered dental practitioners.
2.4 Research design, methodology and interpretation should be performed by appropriately trained researchers in collaboration with practising dentists.
2.5 Both the Commonwealth and state governments should allocate dedicated funding for dental research, including appropriate research to collect and analyse oral health data.
2.6 Priority research areas include the following:
• the prevention and stabilisation of oral diseases;
• the links between oral diseases and general health;
• economic benefit of oral health;
• reducing oral health inequities for priority populations, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, rural and remote communities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, while ensuring culturally safe, community-led research that respects Indigenous data sovereignty.
• regeneration and restoration of lost tissues i.e. teeth, jaw bone and gums;
• emerging evidence and innovations, including artificial intelligence, digital dentistry, gerodontology and contemporary workforce models that improve access, quality and sustainability of oral healthcare;
• the maintenance of healthy oral function.
2.7 NHMRC, MRFF and ARC should make oral disease a research priority.
2.8 Additional support and funding for dental research from the community and dental profession are
appropriate and should be encouraged. The ADA should encourage dental research through its continuing support of the ADA Dental Health Foundation, eviDent Foundation and the Australian Dental Research Foundation Inc.
2.9 Where dental research is funded by a commercial body:
• such funding must be disclosed;
• such funding should be acknowledged;
• the findings of such research must not be influenced or suppressed in any way; and
• the funding body must not use a link or connection to such research to mislead the public.
2.10 Research in University Dental Schools should be fostered and adequately funded.
3. Background
3.1 Oral diseases and disorders are a major public health problem in Australia with a high economic burden Current research in Australia and overseas is continuing to identify links between oral disease and broader health problems. Despite this, dental research continues to receive inadequate funding.
3.2 Australia has a long and internationally distinguished record of research into the prevalence, aetiology, control and treatment of oral diseases and disorders. This research has resulted in major improvements in Australians’ oral and general health.
3.3 The majority of dental research in Australia is conducted within the university dental schools.
3.4 Preventive dentistry is an important research area for improving national oral health.
3.5 The main sources of funding in health research are the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and the Australian Research Council (ARC).
3.6 Oral health sciences receive disproportionately low and inequitable Australian Government research funding relative to the burden of oral disease, compared with other health research fields.
3.7 The Australian Dental Association Ltd (ADA) has played a supportive role to dental research through its involvement in the Australian Dental Research Foundation.
4. Definition
4.1 BOARD is the Dental Board of Australia.
4.2 ECONOMIC BURDEN is the total amount spent on dental treatment in the private and public sectors. It does not include associated costs such as time away from work
4.3 NATIONAL ORAL HEALTH SURVEY is a comprehensive Australia-wide survey of the oral health status and treatment needs of the Australian community.
5. Last review
August 2026
6. Next review due
August 2031