“On World Oral Health Day, ACT is asking the Government to brush up on the state of Kiwi kids’ teeth,” says ACT’s Deputy Leader and Health spokesperson Brooke van Velden.

“On TVNZ Breakfast this morning I revealed information released through Written Parliamentary Questions that shows 46 per cent of Kiwi kids are overdue their routine oral health examinations.

“The post-code lottery is back in effect as well, with some regions much worse off than others.

“Kids in the Auckland region are facing the toughest time of it. In Counties Manukau 66 per cent of kids are overdue their free dental check, in Auckland 60 per cent of kids are overdue, and in Waitemata 64 per cent of kids haven’t been seen for their routine check.

“Wellington and surrounding regions are better places to be a kid in need of oral care. 19 per cent of kids in Capital and Coast are overdue their visit, it’s 11 per cent in Hutt Valley, and 22 per cent in Wairarapa.

“Your chance of getting a filling depends on whether you live at the top or bottom of the North Island.

“Anyone who has tried to get a dentist appointment recently knows there’s a workforce shortage. More information released to ACT shows the number of dental therapists and dental hygienists employed by DHBs fell from 553 in 2019 to 496 in 2022 while dentists fell from 43 in 2019 to 35 in 2022.

“In 2022 ACT was leaked a ministerial briefing recommending that 30 professions, including dentists, orthodontists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, and dental and oral health therapists needed to be added to the immigration Green List. The Government ignored it.

“If the Government had acted earlier then things might not be as dire as they currently are. The Government needs to take a long hard look in the mirror, brush up on these poor statistics and fill the workforce shortage.

“The Government has been so focussed on increasing bureaucracy and injecting co-governance into the health system they have ignored what matters to Kiwis - that when Kiwis need treatment they can get appointments.

“The future of our health system will be based on better training, better retention and better recruitment. ACT will release its Health Workforce Strategy in coming weeks which will promote real change in the healthcare system.”

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