Oral Health Therapists Are The “Secret Weapon’ In Any Universal Dental Care Proposal And Outcome In Aotearoa New Zealand

Te Ohu Pūniho Ora o Aotearoa – the New Zealand Oral Health Association Inc (NZOHA) represents over 1200 registered oral health therapists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists, all working across the public and private sectors all throughout Aotearoa. Our association was established to serve the oral health therapy, dental therapy and dental hygiene professions by preserving and promoting their interests and enhancing their professional profile. Our professions are steeped in history, with the establishment of the School Dental Service and training of School Dental Nurses back in 1921, to incorporating dental hygiene training and care from the 1970s, to now having trained oral health therapists who work primarily in the public (Te Whatu Ora) and private oral health sectors throughout Aotearoa.1

“Any policy announcement from any political party which addresses equity for oral health for all we support” says Anna Holyoake, NZOHA President. “We see the Labour Party’s policy announcement (as well as the Green Party of Aotearoa) as a great opportunity for oral health therapists and dental therapists to contribute to the wider oral health sector to help address basic dental needs in the community, regardless of age”.

Currently oral health therapists and dental therapists may complete an accredited course by the Dental Council of New Zealand and are then able to do basic restorative (fillings) on any age. At the moment, they are restricted to under 18-year-olds. There are currently two approved accredited courses available, with the University of Otago taking on its first intake in 2024.

“Once our members complete this course, they will be seen as mid-level dental providers who are able to offer basic dental care to those that need it the most. We can leave the surgical and more complex work to the dentists in the hospital and community settings” says Samuel Carrington, NZOHA Vice President.

“We are an association which represents the biggest publicly funded, and fastest growing (compared to dentists) oral health workforce in Aotearoa and having us able to treat the whole whānau rather than be restricted to those under the age of 18-years-old for basic filling work that would be free for all, we should see massive improvements in oral health for all throughout Aotearoa over time” says Samuel. He adds “there is this elephant in the room that any step towards universal dental care, all dental work for everyone will be completed by a dentist. This is not true – we have highly skilled mid-level dental providers (oral health therapists and dental therapists) who are ready to complete an accredited course and get on with giving everyone in Aotearoa better oral health by providing basic dental care – regardless of age. Oral health therapists are the “secret weapon” when it comes to delivery of basic dental care for any age in Aotearoa NZ”.

Community oral health promotion initiatives seem to not have a mention in the policy announcement, which is something the NZOHA are keen to have. 

“A huge part of our profession’s work is educating whānau, tamariki, rangatahi and kaumātua on how to look after their teeth and gums” says Samuel, “we go into schools, aged care facilities, marae – and we teach everyone how to look after their teeth, particularly from an early age. Both parties announcements do not address how oral health promotion initiatives would be rolled out across Aotearoa New Zealand and this is something we are keen to see more of”.

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