Australian dental health research underfunded

Australia: Investment in Australian research funding of oral health sciences is the least adequate among the research fields, according to a recent study.

After examining major government funding schemes, the study found oral health sciences to have the lowest and most inequitable level of support. The funding schemes include the Australian Research Council (ARC); the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC); and Medical Research Future Funds (MRFF) grants.

The analysis compared the research funding of oral health sciences with other research fields on burden of disease. As compared to other major diseases, investment in the area of oral health sciences is underfunded, despite its growing impactin the country.

Revealing analysis

Using the Fair Research Funding (FRF) index, the study measured how NHMRC funding is allocated according to the disease burden.

Burden of disease refers to the impact of living with illness and injury and dying prematurely, and also measures the years of healthy life lost.

An FRF result of one denotes equitable funding, while a greater than one FRF score shows inequitable research funding. A result less than one shows excessive funding based on the disease burden. Oral health diseases had the greatest funding inequity with 10.70, followed by musculoskeletal conditions at 3.53.

Rising inequality in oral health prevention

Approximately 70,000 preventable hospitalisations each year can be attributed to dental health issues, of which 25% are considered preventable.

Dental health issues are already on the rise in Australia, with approximately 70,000 preventable hospitalisations due to dental health issues each year, with 25 precent being preventable. Given that poor oral health disproportionately afflicts the socially disadvantaged groups, the researchers are asking for more investment into prevention-focused public oral health programs to prevent the situation from worsening.

Led by researchers from the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Queensland and University of Adelaide, the research findings have been published in the Australian Dental Journal.

“What we’re highlighting is that being proactive is key for all diseases, but what we’ve found is that dental health is being neglected when it comes to funding,” says senior author Professor Heiko Spallek, head of school and dean of the University of Sydney School of dentistry.

“Oral health is a fundamental human right and plays an often-overlooked role in our general health and wellbeing – until it is too late. It plays a role in more than just chewing our food Ignoring oral health will only increase the disease burden of Australians, and potentially lead to future disabilities, hospitalisation and great distress.”

Burden of diseases is an invaluable guide

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, oral problems accounted for 4.4% of Australia’s non-fatal disease burden in 2015, while the fifth-highest disease burden among children aged 5 to 14 is tooth decay.

“The burden of diseases is an invaluable guide to helping policymakers allocate resources,” said Dr Arash Ghanbarzadegan, a lecturer from the University of Sydney Dental School who led the analysis.

“More equitable research funding will help researchers maximise the impact on oral health and enable all Australian to receive appropriate dental care.”