One-third of Australians avoiding the dentist due to cost, AIHW report finds

A check-up on the state of the nation's health has found almost one-third of people are putting off or avoiding going to the dentist altogether due to the cost.

Source: ABC Australia

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report found of the people who had visited a dentist in the previous 12 months, 20 per cent did not go ahead with the recommended treatment because of the cost.

Forty-four per cent of uninsured people were avoiding appointments altogether.

And even people with private health insurance were put off, with 20 per cent of them saying they stayed away from the dentist's chair at all costs.