A visit to the dentist is an unaffordable luxury for millions of Australians, and there are now a growing number of voices joining the call for the Federal Government to do something about it.

According to the Consumers Health Forum, the waiting list for publically-funded dental care has 650,000 people on it, and many of those people are waiting for more than two years to receive care.

Ahead of the release of the 2012-2013 federal budget next Tuesday, the forum is launching a campaign to highlight what it says is a national crisis.

Australian dental care at a glance: In 1994, the Labor Keating government introduced state funding for services targeting those on low incomes. The Howard government abolished that program, but introduced the chronic disease dental scheme (CDDS) to cap Medicare benefits for those patients with chronic conditions.

In 1994, the Labor Keating government introduced state funding for services targeting those on low incomes. The Howard government abolished that program, but introduced the chronic disease dental scheme (CDDS) to cap Medicare benefits for those patients with chronic conditions. Rudd's Labor government introduced a means-tested plan funding annual check-ups for teenagers, as well as promising an expanded range of public dental services.

Rudd's Labor government introduced a means-tested plan funding annual check-ups for teenagers, as well as promising an expanded range of public dental services. These schemes are still in existence, but the Greens are calling for a universal dental care scheme focusing on vulnerable Australians and the Opposition is indicating it will introduce an extended CDDS.

These schemes are still in existence, but the Greens are calling for a universal dental care scheme focusing on vulnerable Australians and the Opposition is indicating it will introduce an extended CDDS. In February, Julia Gillard refused to commit to further funding of dental services, despite it being part of a deal Labor reached with the Greens to secure support for a minority government.

In February, Julia Gillard refused to commit to further funding of dental services, despite it being part of a deal Labor reached with the Greens to secure support for a minority government. One-third of all Australians cannot afford dental care, and some people have been on waiting lists for treatment for up to five years.

One-third of all Australians cannot afford dental care, and some people have been on waiting lists for treatment for up to five years. Just over half of all Australians have some level of private dental health cover. Sources: AIHW; Dental Reform: an overview of universal dental schemes

Its chairman, Stephen Murby, told ABC News24 that current waiting list figures are "horrifying".

The campaign also comes on the same day as a senate committee inquiry into the chronic disease dental program, with dentists providing feedback on a scheme which has seen many in the profession being audited over millions of dollars worth of Medicare payments.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Julia Gillard stopped short of honouring a pledge for a large injection of cash into dental services - part of the deal Labor used to secure support from the Greens for a minority government.

Additional funding was deferred last year because of budget constraints.

The Greens, who are still optimistic Ms Gillard will honour her promise, say nothing short of $1 billion this year is acceptable.

Although there are indications dental care funding will feature in the budget, the forum is concerned there will be nowhere near enough money to address the problem.

'National disgrace'

Consumers Health Forum CEO Carol Bennett says for someone who does not have private health insurance, the situation in Australia is a "national disgrace".

She says many people are forced to see their GPs for pain treatment while they wait, but many others end up in hospital emergency departments because they have reached a point where the infection is out of control.

"You wait a minimum of 18 months - often up to two years - and in some parts of Australia people are waiting for up to five years for access to basic dental services," she told Radio National's Breakfast program.

"That five-year period is an incredible time to wait, and for many people they end up in emergency departments in hospital because they have a whole range of other health complications."

Ms Bennett says the situation is "untenable" and infection from dental problems is leading to cancer, heart disease and stroke.

The fact that dental care has never been properly included in the public health system is a "historic problem", she says, adding that it has resulted in 90 per cent of dentists operating within the private system.

"This puts the cost of treatment way out of reach of many people," she said.

"The waiting lists are just growing and growing, and I think those waiting lists are very conservative because a lot of people will just simply give up when they have to wait that length of time."

Chasing a budget surplus

Under the chronic disease dental scheme, patients with chronic health conditions can be referred to a dentist by their GP and be reimbursed, but Ms Bennett says it fails to target those who can least afford treatment.

The forum is calling for the Government to ensure there are services for the most needy people in the community as an "urgent matter of priority".

"That needs money, and I know we're aiming to get a budget surplus, but when you've got this kind of national crisis on your hands with so many people, it's a false economy to think the surplus is more important," she said.

How does Australia compare? Although there is confusion over what constitutes universal dental health care from one country to another, recent reports have highlighted some countries they see as administering universal care.

Although there is confusion over what constitutes universal dental health care from one country to another, recent reports have highlighted some countries they see as administering universal care. Austria, Mexico, Poland, Spain and Turkey were seen to provide 100 per cent cover for the cost of dental services, according to a recent OECD publication.

Austria, Mexico, Poland, Spain and Turkey were seen to provide 100 per cent cover for the cost of dental services, according to a recent OECD publication. Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy and the UK were seen to have universal schemes, according to the Council of European Dentists.

Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy and the UK were seen to have universal schemes, according to the Council of European Dentists. Australia ranks among the bottom third of OECD countries for rates of dental decay among adults, according to the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association.

Rather than calling for a universal dental scheme, as the Greens are proposing, Ms Bennett is calling for the Government to invest at least half a billion dollars per year to kick-start the initiative.

But she says setting up a workforce to tackle the problem is also a big issue and complicates the issue further.

"The kinds of measures that the dental advisory committee recommended are things like increasing the scope of practice that dental hygienists and therapists have, so that they can do some of the more simple procedures that dentists currently carry out - and at a more cost-effective price," she said.

She says the Government should also look at bringing in more overseas-trained dentists, as well as investing more in the public hospital system to attract more private sector dentists.

"I don't know of any countries that have reached that point where you've got 90 per cent of your work force working in the private sector," she said.

For someone with serious dental problems, Ms Bennett says the situation in Australia is "absolutely terrible".

"They have pain, they can't eat properly, that leads to a range of other health problems - infections and the like," she said.

"It's very much linked to self-esteem and people's sense of feeling good about themselves, and not being able to work for many people."