Dental Advocacy Group "Seeing Significant Unmet Need" On Dental In Nationwide Roadshow, Begins 2nd Part Of National Tour

A dental advocacy group is reporting soaring unmet need for dental care as it begins the second part of a national roadshow on dental challenges in New Zealand.

Dental for All will travel to the Far North next week, alongside events in Auckland through the week, before travelling to Tauranga, Whakatāne, the East Coast, Gisborne, Napier, and Flaxmere.

The group has just completed a trip from Wellington to Rotorua, which included seven town hall discussions.

"What we've been seeing and hearing is significant unmet need among adults who are locked out of getting dental care," says Hana Pilkinton-Ching, spokesperson for the Dental for All coalition.

The coalition includes Te Ao Mārama (the Māori Dental Association), dentists and oral health therapists, unions (including E tū, ASMS, and Workers FIRST Union), and poverty action groups.

"The adult dental system is in crisis, with costs continuing to rise, and during this prolonged cost of living crisis we want to see all political parties commit to bring dental into the public healthcare system to ease the pressure on families," adds Pilkinton-Ching.

Dental for All is calling for free, universal, Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent dental. It has commissioned research showing that the existing dental system costs the country $2.5bn in lost productivity and $3.1bn in reduced quality of life, while it would cost $1-2bn to bring dental into the public healthcare system.

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The group supports the establishment of an adult community dental service, which could consist of a network of community clinics with salaried dentists and oral health therapists, along with tino rangatiranga for Māori over oral health.

“Working in South Auckland, we’re witnessing a growing oral health crisis. It’s time our health system took urgent, equity-focused action that is grounded in accountability and community partnership and ensures everyone has access to the care they need,” says Chanae Ihimaera, Senior Lecturer/Kaiwhaako in Oral Health at Auckland University of Technology.

The second leg of the roadshow includes a free dental day at Auckland University of Technology's south campus on Sunday 7 September, involving 9 volunteer dentists and 4 volunteer oral health therapists.

The roadshow continues with a major event at the Auckland City Mission on Thursday 11 September, where City Missioner Helen Robinson will speak, as well as visits to marae, Māori oral health providers, and community venues.

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