The Oral Health Alliance will launch a campaign to put pressure on the parties to ensure all Australians can access affordable and timely dental services.

The alliance said low-income earners faced excessive waits for public dental services and that levels of service in the public system varied between states and territories.

People with poor oral health who were unlikely to be able to access dental care included low-income earners, those living in rural and remote areas and indigenous people.

Australian Dental Association president Neil Hewson said the first priority for oral health should be ensuring people on very low incomes could access timely dental services.

''Probably the first bite of the cherry would be to look after health-care cardholders. If you get them under control, you might expand the coverage,'' he said.

Dr Hewson said there also needed to be more public education campaigns about dental health. ''Nearly all of the problems in dentistry decay, gum disease, erosion and abrasion, oral cancer are almost entirely preventable,'' he said.

''So to a large extent people can be encouraged and empowered to look after their teeth themselves. That will reduce the demand for dental treatment and therefore make it more affordable.''

Australian Health Care Reform Alliance chairman Tony McBride said dental health did not get the same level of attention as other areas of health.

''It does get treated differently to any other part of the body, despite the pain and discomfort and the implications of having poor oral health,'' Mr McBride said.

''The health and social impact of poor oral health is immense.''

The alliance said research showed that 90 per cent of people with serious oral health problems experienced pain or discomfort.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times