Dental care system for children needs fixing – Editorial
Remember the Murder House at school?
The instruction to go to the dental clinic used to fill students with dread. They would lie back in the old dental chair with its imposing arm hanging overhead, ready for the sound of the drill – and the pain.
Some readers will even remember when the drill was operated by foot. No one wanted to be among the last ones at the day’s end when the nurse’s leg was tired and the drill started to grind away at an even slower rate.
Thankfully, dental care has come a long way in New Zealand since the mid-20th century. Today’s technology, pain relief and treatments are light years ahead of decades ago.
Dental care is important, but routine care generally costs for adults. New Zealand provides free dental treatment for children under 18, but most regions are struggling to deliver this on time.
Hawke’s Bay Today reported this week that its region is the country’s worst at providing timely care for young people and more than half of its children are overdue to see a dentist.
The New Zealand Dental Association’s 2026 Oral Health Scorecard uses 2024 data for children aged 0-12.
It places Hawke’s Bay at the bottom nationally for timely care, with 52.4% of the region’s children overdue.
Only Whanganui, Wellington/Hutt and Wairarapa met the national benchmark target of 10% or less.
Hawke’s Bay health leaders urgently want action. Two mums talked about struggling to access nearby services and watching their children suffer.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora acknowledges the region’s problem and says sustained, long-term action will be needed to address the backlog.
The organisation says it is committed to working with local communities, iwi and sector partners to improve outcomes.
It is conducting a national review of oral health services for children and adolescents and its focus includes building up the workforce.
The latest New Zealand Health Survey found that only 66.2% of adults and 62.9% of children brush their teeth with standard fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day.
The Dental Association last year reported that one in three adults suffered from untreated tooth decay. Thousands end up in hospital because of preventable dental problems every year.
Dental health is crucial for everyone, especially children. Oral diseases are linked to other serious problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke.
No one wants to see children growing up in pain with bad teeth. They deserve better than that.
Parents can encourage brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and limit sugary drinks and food.
The Government needs to properly fund dental services for children and provide better and more timely access.
The system clearly needs fixing. Health NZ’s review needs to deliver results.