Hamilton teen parents and their children have been given dental health training and check-ups as part of efforts to boost oral health for the whole Whānau.

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand Waikato Oral Health Coordinator, Manaaki Crawford said the initiative, which ran from July-October 2022 was all about sowing seeds of good oral health while achieving equitable health outcomes.

The initiative involved the Dinsdale based teen parent unit, ‘He Puaawai,’ which is hosted by Fraser High School and an early learning service, Campus Crèche, based at the same school for what was a unique opportunity,” said Ms Crawford.

“Involving maamaa was key in the planning of what they wanted to learn and how it was delivered. The initiative was about sharing mãtauranga (Māori knowledge) with the Mãmã to pass on this taonga tuku iho (caring for and nurturing the treasures handed down from our ancestors) to their tamariki.”

He Puaawai and crèche attendees received dental health education and check-ups for the tamariki from Te Whatu Ora Waikato Oral Health staff who saw 19 teen parents or pregnant teens.

A tooth-brushing programme focusing on educating teen parents on the importance of good oral health for both parents and their children will be implemented in the New Year.

“The New Zealand Dental Association supplied a range of brushes sourced and paste donated from Colgate for both students of He Puaawai and children from the campus crèche,” said NZDA Colgate Oral Health Promotion Manager Annelise Scrimgeour.

“The key here is provision of dental health in new settings,” concluded Ms Scrimgeour.

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