Tooth decay is New Zealand’s most common childhood disease. More than half of our preschoolers already have dental decay, putting their health at risk now and well into the future. That’s why the mobile Auckland Regional Dental Service run by Health New Zealand – Waitematā is so vital. The mobile dental service visits local schools and early childhood centres to engage directly with vulnerable tamariki, including those in hard-to-reach communities.
However, not all sites have an adequate power supply to power the vans, especially those in rural West Auckland, and hiring generators can be expensive. Many children were missing out. The mobile dental service approached the Well Foundation for help. The Well Foundation is the official charity for Waitākere and North Shore Hospitals. ‘One of our areas of focus is supporting the implementation of community-based healthcare programmes designed to improve the health of everyone, including young children,’ says Jenny Payne, Fundraising Executive at the Well Foundation.
Poor oral health and dental decay at an early age can significantly impact a child’s physical, psychological, and social development, making the mobile dental service a top priority. However, power issues were affecting its ability to deliver services in all communities. What was needed was a van with a fixed generator. ‘That way the service would be able to visit sites which currently do not have a suitable power supply, ensuring a greater number of West Auckland’s young people can benefit,’ says Jenny.
An application to the 2025 Your West Support Fund has secured over $11,000 in funding. The Auckland Regional Dental Service is in the final stages of acquiring and fitting a generator to the mobile dental van, which is expected to be on the road by the end of August. ‘The upgrade will be a game-changer,’ declares Jenny. She says that the dental service has identified 19 high-priority West Auckland preschool centres in phase 1 of its outreach programme, which the service has not been able to reach until now. Jenny advises that around 1,200 children are currently enrolled in these centres, in addition to the 43,389 young West Aucklanders already enrolled.
Thanks to the new generator, more youngsters will be able to access early dental care, improving their oral health and overall wellbeing. Even better, the mobile service provides opportunities for hard-to-reach West Auckland communities to learn about other healthcare services and programmes. And that’s good news for everyone.
