Oral conditions are the third highest reason for acute preventable hospital admissions in\r\nAustralia with more than 63,000 Australians hospitalised each year. Many of these people\r\nrequire dental treatment under general anaesthetic including young children with high levels of\r\ndental disease, and adults with complex medical conditions.\r\nWhere expenditure can be allocated to specific disease groups, spending on oral health ranked\r\nsecond highest after cardiovascular disease. Unlike other health services, the cost of oral health\r\nfalls largely to the individual. In 2011-2012, individuals were responsible for 57% of the total\r\ncost of dental care compared with only 12% of the cost of all other health services.