Taranaki DHB Looks At Oral Health Services

Media Release

15th October 2007

Taranaki Dhb Looks At Oral Health Services In Taranaki

Taranaki DHB is asking the community for their input into how oral health services for children and young people, aged 0 – 18, could operate in Taranaki.

Following on from the Ministry of Health strategic Vison - “Good Oral Health for All for Life” - released in 2006, Taranaki DHB is proposing changes to modernise the service for the community and the dental staff.

It is proposed that the new service will focus on providing oral health care in ways that meet the needs of parents and children. The proposal covers the full range of services from oral health promotion to the building of up-to-date oral health clinics. These hub clinics will be supported by mobile dental bus’s that will provide care for children and adolescents who attend some smaller schools and schools in rural areas.

Currently 50% of adolescents under 18years do not access the free dental care they are entitled to.

DHB Community Oral Health project co-ordinator Vicki Kershaw said she is seeking feedback on the whole service and is particularly concerned with how to improve access for this large group of our community.

“Taranaki DHB is committed to improving the oral health of children and young people in Taranaki. Young people need to keep their smile looking good and we want to know how we can get more youth to use the publicly funded dental services.”

Some of the issues the consultation will include are the benefits and disadvantages of a new oral health service model, how the community oral health service will operate and the options necessary to improve accessibility for patients and their families.

Taranaki DHB is leading the country for this project with a three phase programme designed to be completed by 2011. The phases have been approved by the Ministry of Health with funding to carry out phase one initially.

Consultation information has gone out to all school pupils, caregivers, young people in other centres and dental professionals around the province.

Information on the project and a questionnaire is available on www.tdhb.org.nz. Young people who complete the on line survey have a chance to win one of ten ipod shuffles.

ENDS

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