The new process means the treatment of oral complaints has come along way in Victoria.

In the past a patient could turn up to a dental clinic run by Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) and ask for a teeth clean, because they were going to a wedding on the weekend. And despite other people being in need of more urgent treatment, the drop-in would get it.

Today, with a new Web-based triage system, called the Emergency Triage Tool, oral emergencies are ranked on the spot in terms of priority, allowing a fairer allocation of resources, and ensuring everyone keeps their smile when they walk out the door.

DHSV, which was established a decade ago, is the public dental agency charged with providing high quality, safe and accessible care to all eligible Victorians. Part of this service consists of maintaining 65 dental clinics across the state.

These clinics are similar to emergency rooms in hospitals. People come in with all ranges of oral ailments for treatment by dentists. Depending where they live - city, regional or bush, these patients are referred to the dental hospital; seen by dentists on site; or a referred to nearby private practitioners.