CQUniversity's Oral Health Discipline Leader has welcomed the pledge of a blitz on public dental waiting lists, expressed by Health Minister Tanya Plibersek.

Associate Professor Leonie Short was commenting on a Federal Government pledge that $345.9 million will be directed to treating patients on waiting lists over the next three years, providing vital services to around 400,000 adults including support for Indigenous Australians.

The Government will also direct $45.2 million over four years to introduce an Oral Health Therapist graduate year program that will give placement opportunities, with a focus on public dental services, to 50 new graduates each year from 2014.

Minister Plibersek said the 2012-13 Budget will also direct vital health dollars to additional training to help boost the public dental service workforce, and improve dental infrastructure in regional, rural and remote areas.

Associate Professor Leonie Short also welcomes the Australian Government's pledge to invest $10.5 million over three years for oral health promotion activities to improve Australia's oral health.

CQUniversity introduced the Bachelor of Oral Health degree in February this year. The 26 new Oral Health Therapy students will be organizing oral health promotion activities in the Rockhampton region from Term 2 this year and are learning with dental equipment and instruments that are the envy of some dental practitioners. When they graduate at the end of 2014, they will be eligible to apply for the Federal Government's proposed graduate program.

Associate Professor Leone Short said the Oral Health Therapy students at CQUniversity will play a vital role in putting a ‘blitz' on public dental waiting lists.