"My experience with public dental care"

I am in my 80s and live with my sibling who is in their 90s. We are very particular about our cleanliness and have always kept good dental health. I went to the dentist last year and they told me I have black … I didn’t know what that was and I asked them to explain- and they said they were in a hurry. When I went the next time I saw a different dentist, they said you don’t have black … at all. I asked can you explain a bit more to me so I know what to look out for and they said, “If your teeth are surrounded they’re ok. If you grind your teeth then they will be sharp and that is what it is”. I asked why the other dentist told me I had it and they said it must have been a bad day for that dentist.

This second dentist said they didn’t have time to do my scaling that day but they said within 3-6 months I need the scaling to be done. They didn’t contact me so I phoned up the doctor’s as usual to make an appointment. I was on the phone over 45 minutes, it seems that there were a lot of people fighting with them it was chaos. They asked me all my details, and area code and then they said they would transfer me to Kogarah and then it started all over again.

We happened to have an appointment with our endocrinologist who is next to them. I said to my sibling, let’s see what’s happening and let’s go with our paper work. We went up and there were all new people, the dentist resigned and they said we will put you on the waitlist list. They said it would be a 2 year wait – my sibling is in her 90s! Why did you change the system and they said this is what you get for free. I turned and said, “no, it’s from all the taxes I’ve paid in my life”.

As we left my sibling saw them all in another corner of the room giggling and laughing.

The first time I was sent to another hospital and the dentist was as good as gold.

I believe it’s about accountability and to be proud of your work.