Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01323:front:0:p1
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Statement of Principles
concerning
TOOTH DECAY (DENTAL CARIES)
(Reasonable Hypothesis)
(No. 74 of 2024)
The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

Dated    18 October 2024.

Professor Terence Campbell AM
Chairperson
by and on behalf of
The Repatriation Medical Authority

Contents
1 Name
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Repeal
5 Application
6 Definitions
7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
8 Basis for determining the factors
9 Factors that must exist
10 Relationship to service
11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles
Schedule 1 - Dictionary
1 Definitions

 1.                Name
This is the Statement of Principles concerning tooth decay (dental caries) (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 74 of 2024).
 1.                Commencement
              This instrument commences on 19 November 2024.
 1.                Authority
This instrument is made under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.
 1.                Repeal
The Statement of Principles concerning dental caries (Reasonable Hypothesis) (No. 122 of 2015) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2015L01675) made under subsection 196B(2) of the VEA is repealed.
 1.                Application
This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120A of the VEA or section 338 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.
 1.                Definitions
The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.
 1.                Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
         1.           This Statement of Principles is about tooth decay (dental caries) and death from tooth decay (dental caries).
Meaning of tooth decay (dental caries)
 1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, tooth decay (dental caries):
         1.           means the localised destruction of dental hard tissues (enamel, cementum or dentine) by dental plaque, leading to demineralisation or cavity formation; and
         2.           excludes:
                 1.             dental pulp and periapical disease;
                 2.          tooth loss; and
                 3.        tooth wear.
Note: Tooth decay (dental caries) can involve any part of the tooth, including the crown, neck or root.

 1.           While tooth decay (dental caries) attracts ICD‑10‑AM codes K02.0, K02.1, K02.2, K02.3, K02.5, K02.8 and K02.9, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of tooth decay (dental caries) is that given in subsection (2).
 2.           For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Death from tooth decay (dental caries)
 1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, tooth