Author: Dr John Fricker OAM, FRED Advisory Board member
Under the Australian Tax Office (ATO) early release rules, Australians can apply to withdraw money from their retirement funds on compassionate grounds, such as medical or funeral expenses.
Australians withdrew about $1.46 billion from their superannuation on compassionate grounds in 2025-26, with the vast majority of that, about $1.42 billion, used for medical costs including dental work.
According to ATO data reported by the ABC last week, Dental was the most common reason for someone to withdraw their superannuation on medical grounds, with $892 million taken out in 2025-26. That is a staggering 13-fold increase from the $66 million approved just seven years earlier.
Our mouths are essential to how we eat, speak, smile and connect with one another. Good oral health supports our confidence, our ability to participate in work and education.
Oral health is a window to general health. Poor oral health is linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and respiratory infections. Maintaining good oral hygiene is essential for overall wellbeing, as the mouth serves as a gateway to the body and a window for early detection of systemic issues.
Australians should not have to choose between looking after their teeth and oral health today, and having enough money to live on in retirement. Yet new figures reveal that this is increasingly the choice people are being forced to make.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around one quarter of Australians who needed dental care in 2024-25 delayed or went without it at least once.
In the same year, there were over 491,000 dental procedures performed in hospital with over half (59 per cent) for children aged 0-14 years. Of concern is that around 89,200 hospitalisations for dental conditions could potentially have been prevented through earlier treatment.
Tooth decay, one of Australia’s most common chronic diseases, is largely preventable. Evidence-based strategies such as appropriate fluoride use, healthy dietary habits, effective daily oral care, and early intervention, are cost effective and can make an enormous difference.
The soon to be released National Oral Health Plan by the Commonwealth Government needs to address the limited access to affordable, essential dental treatment with an emphasis on prevention.
Education strategies should be included, empowering families to look after their own oral health via behaviour changes in diet and home care. However, prevention is not a substitute for accessible dental treatment. We need both.
Too many Australians simply cannot afford the dental care they need. People who can afford regular check-ups and treatment are better placed to maintain their oral health. People who cannot, may find themselves waiting until a manageable problem becomes painful, complex and far more expensive to treat.
It is easy to see how someone facing persistent pain, infection or the loss of their teeth might consider accessing their superannuation as their only realistic option.
There are legitimate concerns about practitioners encouraging people to withdraw their superannuation for unnecessary or expensive cosmetic procedures. Regulators are right to crack down on those who put commercial interests ahead of their patients’ wellbeing.
We must protect people from being pressured into using their retirement savings to pay for treatment they may not need. Professional oversight, transparent treatment options, and informed financial decisions are essential.
Building a publicly funded oral health program with eligibility to patients who are not privately insured, will serve to protect their financial wellbeing throughout life. An emphasis on preventive services will minimise hospital admissions and result in long-term savings.
About the author
Dr John Fricker OAM is a retired specialist orthodontist with more than 45 years of experience in public and private dental practice. He was a visiting specialist with Canberra Dental Services.
Dr Fricker is a Fellow by examination of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and a Member in Specialist Dental Practice. He is also a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, International Dental Academy and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.
Dr Fricker is also a member of FRED’s Advisory Board.