The Greens have rejected the Liberals' pre-election promise to change Australia's publicly funded dental care program, warning it will limit patient access.

"This plan is a shocker. If it's allowed to go ahead it will totally undermine the push for universal Medicare funded access to dental care," said Australian Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale.

"80 per cent of dental clinics will be off-limits to patients using this program, which relies only on dental systems run by the states.

Australian Greens Leader and public health specialist, Dr Richard Di Natale, has today announced the Greens plan to phase out the private health insurance rebate and reinvest the savings in the public health system, including reinstating hospital funding now and for the long-term. “It’s never easy to talk about withdrawing subsidies in an election year,” said Senator Di Natale. “But the Greens have the courage to call the private health insurance rebate what it is – unfair, inflationary and inefficient.

Acting Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Richard Di Natale, today hailed the start of Medicare-funded dental care for children but warned the government not to use the fledgling scheme as a piggy-bank for budget savings. The Child Dental Benefits Schedule commences today, allowing 3.4 million Australian children in families receiving the Family Tax Benefit to access up to $1000 in dental services every two years.

The Australian Greens have secured almost $5 billion to provide millions of children with Medicare funded dentistry and to improve access to public dental care for low income adults and those in rural and remote areas.

"This package, the most significant reform of dental care in our nation's history, will put a smile on the faces of millions of Australians," said Greens health spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale.