Australians' oral health should be prioritised at the next federal election, according to health experts, who are calling on the Federal Government to significantly expand Medicare-funded dental care.

Key points: Most spending on dental care in Australia comes out of patients' pockets

Most spending on dental care in Australia comes out of patients' pockets New report calls for universal coverage of oral healthcare

New report calls for universal coverage of oral healthcare Last week, Greens announced $5.8 billion dental care election policy

About a third of the Australian population is eligible for public dental services, but it's estimated there is only capacity to provide oral healthcare for about 20 per cent of those who are eligible.

As a result, more than two million Australians delay or avoid going to the dentist each year because of the cost, and hundreds of thousands of Australians remain on public waiting lists for well over a year.

Stephen Duckett, the author of a new report from the Grattan Institute calling for universal dental coverage, said Australia's current approach to oral health was an "inequitable, ramshackle scheme".

"What is staggering when you think about it, is that policy about the mouth is distinct from policy about every other aspect of the body," Dr Duckett said.

"Just like with medical care, we need universal insurance for dental care … and to start, we should focus on those in the greatest need."

The report follows a $5.8 billion election policy announcement by Greens leader Richard Di Natale, who last week promised to provide Medicare-funded dental care for every child, aged pensioner, full-benefit recipient and concession card holder.

"Your health shouldn't be determined by your postcode or bank balance," Dr Di Natale said in a statement.

"Untreated dental disease can dramatically impact on a person's health and quality of life, and it is the most vulnerable people in our community who are impacted the most."

According to the report, the Federal Government "provides nearly as much financial support for dental care through the Private Health Insurance Rebate — which goes disproportionately to higher-income households — as it does to low-income people."

Significant barriers for people on low incomes

In Australia, most dental care is provided by the private sector and funded out of patients' own pockets.

Of the $9.9 billion spent on dental care in 2015-16, Australians forked out 58 per cent in out-of-pocket costs.

According to the Grattan Institute report, "heavily relying on people funding their own dental care creates significant financial barriers for a large number of Australians, particularly those on low incomes".

About 60 per cent of people on low incomes had not seen a dentist in the past year.

Of Australians who did see a dentist, about a fifth of people were prevented from getting the recommended treatment because they couldn't afford it.

"The cost of dental care means that a lot of people skip or delay going to the dentist, even when they need care," the authors wrote.

"The consequence of this is widespread poor oral health."

In Australia, 90 per cent of adults and 40 per cent of children have experienced tooth decay.

"About a quarter of Australian adults say they avoid some foods because of the condition of their teeth; for low-income people, it's about a third," the authors wrote.

People on low incomes are more likely to have periodontal disease, untreated tooth decay, or missing teeth.

"Of course, a broad range of social, economic and cultural factors affect a person's oral health. But the ability to get dental care when it's needed is an overwhelming important factor," they wrote.

Publicly subsidised care in Australia is available for most children via the Child Dental Benefits Scheme, and for adults with a healthcare card or pensioner concession card.

But the eligibility and organisation of public dental programs varies greatly across states and territories.

Dr Duckett said the federal government should take responsibility for funding primary dental care, starting with support for pensioners and healthcare card holders, before incrementally building a universal scheme.

"In the first instance you would start by changing the way public dental services are funded," he said.

"Then you expand it to private dental services."

He said the scheme, like Medicare, would involve the federal government setting a fee schedule and paying public dental services and private dental practices for the services provided.

Greater attention to oral health

Australia's peak body for dentists, the Australian Dental Association (ADA), said it welcomed the "greater attention to oral health".

"Dental care is drastically underfunded, to the point where a vast majority of those eligible for the current schemes can't even access them," said ADA spokesperson Dr Stephen Liew.

"The next federal government needs to decide what country Australia wants to be," he said.

"Is it a country where 63,000 Australians are hospitalised annually due to preventable oral health conditions, and 90 per cent of adults experience tooth decay?

"Or is a country which can sit proudly on the world stage thanks to a Government that finally acted to improve our shocking rates of oral disease?"

The Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHFA) has also backed calls for dental services to be incorporated more extensively into Australia's public health system.

"Dental care should be part of Medicare just as the mouth is an inseparable part of the body," said Leanne Wells, CEO of CHFA.

"In a 21st century healthcare system, people should not be in a position where they are putting their dental healthcare needs last."