Community Groups, Oral Health Professionals Welcome The Green Party's Re-Commitment To Free Dental Care

The Dental for All coalition, made up of community organisations, campaigners, unions, and oral health professionals, welcomes the Green Party’s announcement of their new dental policy in its alternative Budget released yesterday. This policy includes bringing dental into the public health system and making it free for everyone, as well as additional funding for community clinics and by Māori, for Māori oral health services.

“We know that oral health is an important part of the rest of our health and wellbeing, and the impacts of not being able to afford dental care in Aotearoa are devastating. Funding oral healthcare in our public health system is a no-brainer.” says ActionStation campaigner Hana Pilkinton-Ching, from the Dental for All coalition.

“The proposal to provide free, universal dental services for all is a transformative step towards equitable healthcare, recognising oral health as integral to overall well-being. This initiative addresses long-standing disparities and ensures that no individual is denied essential dental care due to financial constraints,” says Samuel Carrington, oral health therapist, Associate Dean Māori and senior lecturer at Te Kaupeka Pūniho Faculty of Dentistry, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka University of Otago.

Dental for All is calling for oral healthcare to be made universally free in the public health system and for this system to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Polling conducted in 2023 found that 74% of New Zealanders support free dental care for adults.

Te Ao Mārama - Aotearoa Māori Dental Association, a member of the Dental for All coalition, shared, “We acknowledge the Green Party’s Hauora Policy and their bold commitment to include dental care alongside free GP and Nurse community care services.

“Te Ao Mārama affirms the inclusion of Pae Ora in the Green Party’s Hauora Policy and its holistic view of health which aligns with te ao Māori.

“For our workforce, it affirms the care we provide, restoring not just teeth, but the mana and mauri of our people. Each tooth carries whakapapa; every smile uplifted strengthens wairua.

“For our tauira, this policy signals movement toward a system that sees and values them. True transformation begins when Māori are trusted to lead. While funding is essential, enduring change must be shaped by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the voices of our people.”

In the latest NZ Health Survey, almost half of New Zealand adults reported unmet need for dental care due to cost, with higher rates for Māori, Pasifika, young people, and disabled people.

A report released by Dental for All in November 2024 found that the current approach to oral healthcare is costing the country billions, due to impacts such as decreased quality of life, lost productivity, and added pressure on other parts of the health system – well exceeding the costs of funding free, universal dental care.

“We welcome this commitment from the Green Party to funding free oral healthcare in our public health system and supporting by Māori, for Māori oral health initiatives. This is an important step forward to an oral health system which looks after everyone,” says Pilkinton-Ching.

“Across the oral health sector and in our own communities, momentum is building behind the call for free, universal and Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent oral healthcare. We hope to see further political parties respond to this public mandate with bold policy commitments which will improve access to oral healthcare in Aotearoa,” says Pilkinton-Ching.

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