■ Although no one is likely to be a fan of going to the dentist, we can all agree
that good oral health is essential for our overall health and wellbeing, writes
Ilmas Gravis.

Unfortunately, oral health is treated differently in our public health system, with 40 percent of adults unable to afford the dental care they need (dentalforall.nz).

This figure may well be higher for our East Coast region due to its high Māori population, higher rates of poverty, and widely spread rural communities.

The Dental for All campaign, formed in 2022, is being led by a coalition of dentists, health experts and leaders, and unionists to bring this issue to the fore of discussions around our health system and services in Aotearoa.

Research and reporting have provided evidence that the cost of oral healthcare in the private system is a barrier to healthy and thriving communities.

Their kauapapa is the expansion of free dental care to everyone, regardless of age built on a recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the importance of by Māori, for Māori approaches to oral healthcare.

According to the Green Party, millions of people are putting off going to the dentist because of the cost. The average trip to the dentist costs $353 – which is about 40 percent of the weekly income of someone earning the minimum wage.

Consequences of delaying a trip to the dentist, or not treating problems with our teeth or gums, can be life-changing, with complications placing an additional and preventable burden on our already stretched and under-resourced health system.

While children up to 18 years old have access to free dental care, for decades successive governments have chosen to exclude dental care from our public health system.

This is a political and ideological choice, and we have it in our power to advocate for different choices to be made.

Aotearoa is a wealthy country, and it has been an ideologically driven choice not to use this wealth to look after everyone’s oral health.

There is no excuse for this choice to keep excluding dental care from the public health system.

Caring for our teeth and gums is one of the only forms of healthcare in Aotearoa where people are expected to pay the full cost in the private market.

Acknowledging and supporting the Dental for All campaign, the Green Party policy on dental care is to make dental care free for everyone – and to fund it with a simple, fair and practical wealth tax.

The Green Party will create a new community-based New Zealand Dental Service.

The New Zealand Dental Service will provide free access annual check-ups, cleanings, fillings and tooth removals as required at a local dentist.

Mobile dental vans, portable clinics and funding for local dental clinics, including on marae and in community hubs, will ensure no one has to travel long distances to look after their teeth.

The New Zealand Dental Service will also provide emergency and complex dental services through local hospitals or specialist sites so people can get treatment for more complex dental issues before it impacts their general health.

The Green Party’s plan for free dental will also prioritise kaupapa Māori approaches, ensuring equitable oral health for whānau Māori. Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, will be resourced to support existing Māori oral health providers. Additional funding will be provided to support iwi, hāpu, kaupapa Māori and Pasifika health providers, to develop their services and offer community dental care.

Facilitating strong links between Māori providers and other general and oral health service providers, including child and adolescent providers, will ensure continuity of care and flexible, whānau-based treatment.

The Dental for All campaign is bringing the community roadshow to Whakatāne on Friday, September 12, from 5.30-7.30pm at Rongo-o-Awa, Awanuiārangi 1, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Entrance H, 102 McAlister Street. All are welcome if you would like to hear more about the Dental for All Kaupapa and show your support.

n Ilmars Gravis is co-convenor of the Ōpōtiki-Whakatāne branch of the Green Party of Aotearoa. Contact us at

[email protected]  or go online at greens.org.nz/members