Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s preferences for, use of, and access to primary health care 2025

Oral health is an important component of overall health and quality of life. Poor oral health can affect adults and children alike, causing pain, embarrassment, and even social marginalisation. For children, the effects can be long term and carry through to adulthood.

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience poor oral health, such as multiple cavities and untreated dental disease, and are less likely to have received preventive dental care (AHMAC 2017). Several factors contribute towards the poorer oral health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including social disadvantage and lack of access to appropriate diet and dental services.

Dental visits can be for preventive dental care, to maintain existing oral health, to reverse disease or to rehabilitate teeth and gums after damage has occurred. It is recommended that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people visit the dentist at least once a year and have a usual dental provider (AIHW 2024).

Timing of most recent visit

In 2022–23, for 26% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 and over (or an estimated 249,800 of 946,000) it had been 2 years or more since their last visit to a dentist, with another 11% (or 100,500) saying they had never been to a dentist (Figure 23).

Note: Data are population weighted estimates.

Source: AIHW analysis of 2022–23 NATSIHS using TableBuilder (ABS 2025).

The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 and over who had seen a dentist in the last 2 years was highest in Major cities (69% or an estimated 270,000 of 392,000) and lowest in Very remote and Remote areas (both 51%, and 29,100 of 56,800 and 44,900 of 87,400, respectively). Those in Very remote areas were most likely to say they had never seen a dentist (20% or an estimated 17,700 of 87,400).

Around 47% (or an estimated 81,400 of 172,000) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 and over with fair or poor self‑assessed health had either never seen a dentist or not seen one in the last 2 years, signifying considerable unmet need (noting that a lack of dental care can contribute to poor overall health as well). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (aged 2–14) were both the most likely to have seen a dentist in the last 6 months (36% or an estimated 101,000 of 279,000) and the most likely to have never seen one (20% or 55,700).