Labour presides over worsening dental crisis
National Party Health spokesman Paul Hutchison says Labour’s failure to offer a fair and realistic special dental
benefits contract has resulted in its rejection by Southland dentists, and that is likely to spread throughout the
country.
“Labour expects dentists to cover for its failing school dental system and yet pays them less than 50% of the average
private fee,” says Dr Hutchison.
“Costs run at 65% of the average fee and dentists can’t break even.
“Health Minister Annette King has had almost six years and has spent $3.5 billion extra on health, meanwhile school
dental clinics around the country have become unsafe and children’s teeth are literally rotting.
“School dental nurses do a great job but it is hugely important that they collaborate closely with dentists who can
carry out more complicated work.
“It seems as though Ms King is prejudiced against private health providers such as dentists, and refuses to pay them
reasonable compensation for their expertise.
“Dentists very much want to help curb the child dental crisis, but they can’t be expected to continually lose money as
Ms King would have them do,” says Dr Hutchison.
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