New Zealand Nationwide Upgrade of Dental Health Services for Children

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On 26th of May, the first of 94 mobile dental surgeries in Ashburton was officially opened by Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne. Later the Canterbury’s first community dental clinic at the Oakgrove Consulting Rooms at Ashburton Hospital was opened, too.

These two actions were only a part of the a nationwide upgrade of dental health services for communities in New Zealand, organized by the Canterbury District Health Board. It will spend $13.3 million upgrading its Community Dental Service for children. There will appear 12 ‘multi-chair’ community clinics, supported by 18 mobile clinics.

The dental mobile clinics are designed to see children for check ups. If further dental work is needed then they will attend one of the 12 community clinics. The choice of clinics’ placement was based on the areas with the highest need for dental care.

Dental Service Clinical Director Martin Lee reported that “The Community Dental Service Community is considered to bring great improvement into oral health services for young people living in Canterbury.”

It was shown that the equipment and buildings used for offering dental services were too old and should have been replaced already. Local dentists were the first who considered that a challenge is needed.

“Now, after so much have been done, says Dr. Lee, we are proud of this first new community dental facility in Canterbury.” He also mentioned that: “The old clinics were used only for treating tooth decay, not for preventing it. However, the new mobile dental clinics will allow dentists focus more on the improvement of young people’s oral health.

“Children under 18 are allowed to have free dental work. High school children will continue their teeth treatment helped by private dentists. And, in both cases dental service is of a very high quality.”