NSW public dental service data

Public dental service activity

NSW Health provides access to public dental care for children under 18 years of age with a Medicare card, and adults who have or are listed as dependent on an Australian Government Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card, or Pensioner Concession Card.

Patients accessing the public dental system receive care from public dental clinics or participating private dental clinics. Patients may receive a voucher from a public dental clinic to receive specific treatment from participating private dental clinics offering treatment described by the NSW Health Oral Health Fee for Service Scheme.

The information below describes the activity, or Dental Weighted Activity Units (DWAUs), completed by NSW Public Dental Services. During an appointment, dental practitioners provide care which is measured using item numbers. The Australian Dental Association set The Australian Schedule of Dental Services and Glossary which contains item numbers used consistently throughout Australia. These item numbers have weightings (DWAUs), based on the complexity of the care provided.

Figure 1: NSW public dental service activity in DWAUs by quarter, March 2022 to March 2025

Footnote: Dental Weighted Activity Units (DWAUs) are based on the complexity of care provided and exclude cancelled vouchers and treatment provided under general anaesthetic. Activity for the most recent six months includes some vouchers that have not yet been finalised. Small variations may occur on finalisation.

Public dental waiting lists

NSW Health aims to see all patients within the recommended maximum waiting time for certain types of dental care. Patients are prioritised through a triage process based on how urgently they need dental care. People with more urgent dental issues receive treatment more quickly.

NSW Health has improved access to public dental services by streamlining processes, including combining the current assessment and treatment waiting lists. This means patients can be seen for urgent dental treatment while they wait for routine care. As a result of this streamlined process, the way the NSW public dental service data is reported changed on 28 October 2024.

For more information about recommended maximum waiting times and information on how patients are prioritised to receive care in the new waiting list policy, please refer to the Oral Health Access Policy Directive.

On 31 March 2025, 96% of people on the waitlist had been waiting less than the recommended maximum waiting time, an improvement from 56% on 31 March 2022.

Figure 2: Percentage of patients who had been waiting less than the recommended maximum waiting time for NSW public dental services, March 2022 to March 2025

Footnote: Patients waiting for urgent dental treatment and routine care are only considered waiting less than the recommended maximum waiting if they are seen within the time for both. Waiting list data for periods prior to 28 October 2024 is not directly comparable to data from later periods. Patients waiting for specialist dental services are not included.

Waiting lists by local health district (LHD)

As of 31 March 2025, the proportion of people waiting for dental care for less than the recommended maximum waiting time ranged from 70% in Justice Health to 100% in South Western Sydney and Northern Sydney LHDs.

Table 1: NSW public dental service waiting list by Local Health District, as of 31 March 2025

Source: NSW Health Local Health Districts and Specialty Networks

Notes: Figures represent the local health district where service was provided. Patients waiting for specialist dental services are not included.