Dental Nightmare: Kids in Rural Areas Suffer Months of Agony

Urgent Dental Care for Children in Regional Areas: A Long Journey

Mia van Leeuwen, a spirited four-year-old from the small town of Biloela in central Queensland, recently embarked on a challenging journey of over 400 kilometers to receive urgent dental treatment. Unfortunately, Mia's story is becoming increasingly common for many children living in regional areas where access to quick dental care is severely limited.

As noted by her mother, Nakita, Mia endured intense pain while waiting for three long months to have dental crowns implanted. During this traumatic time, Mia struggled with simple tasks like eating solid food or brushing her teeth, often bursting into tears from the agony. Nakita shared her helplessness, expressing, “We didn't even really go down that avenue because we knew we would be waiting for too long.”

With private hospitals in Rockhampton—almost a two-hour drive away—no longer offering dental procedures and the public health system overwhelmed with lengthy waitlists, Mia's family felt their options were limited. They knew they needed to act fast to prevent lasting damage to Mia's teeth.

Eventually, they found a solution when Mia was referred to Tim Keys, a paediatric dentist from the Sunshine Coast. This required the entire family, including all four children, to make the four-hour trip to Hervey Bay for Mia's much-needed treatment. The financial burden was significant, as Nakita and her husband, Sam, spent over $5,000 out of pocket. This amount didn't even account for the additional travel and accommodation expenses they faced during their two-night stay in Hervey Bay.

Nakita expressed her frustration, stating, “I believe that dentistry should be funded in some way because for many people, it’s out of reach.” This struggle is echoed by many families who find themselves navigating similar obstacles when seeking dental care for their children.

Dr. Tim Keys, who sees children from areas as far as Darwin at his clinic, mentioned, “At least weekly, we’ll see a patient that will travel more than six hours to access us.” The challenges parents face in obtaining timely dental care for their children have