Our FREE oral health and dental care services

Children’s dental services include FREE dental checks, preventing and repairing decay if required.

Our staff regularly visit many early childhood centres and schools across the region.

How to enrol

It’s easy to enrol, free call 0800 825 583 (0800 TALK TEETH) or use our referral form.

0-4 years dental enrolment request form [PDF, 842KB]

Enrolment can also be discussed with your child's doctor, practice nurse, Well Child/Tamariki Ora provider or public health nurse. 

Other ways to get enrolment information

• Visit your local Community Dental Clinic, more information can be found here
• Discuss enrolment with your child's doctor, practice nurse, Well Child/Tamariki Ora provider or public health nurse
• Visit your local Community Dental clinic or mobile unit
• Contact your Early Childhood Education Centre for an 0 - 4 Enrolment Request card
• Contact your Oral Health Promoter.

The dental care experience

English version

Te reo version

Importance of healthy teeth

Community clinics

Find a community dental clinic.

Baby teeth are important

Teething is a normal part of every child's development. It starts when the first baby tooth cuts through the gum, at about six months. 

Baby teeth are important, not only for chewing food - they contribute to self-esteem, confidence, appearance and proper speech. The baby teeth also hold spaces for, and guide the position of adult teeth.

If baby teeth are removed ahead of their natural time to fall out, space for the adult teeth may be lost.

This can cause crooked and crowding of the adult teeth, which can lead to other problems. Healthy baby teeth set the stage for healthy adult teeth.

Early childhood caries (tooth decay) and feeding

Early Childhood Caries (tooth decay) refers to the gradually break down of a baby tooth that develops when bacteria and sugars appear together.

The bacterium in plaque reacts with sugar consumed in the daily diet to produce an acid that attacks the minerals in teeth. Each time you eat or drink, acid can attack the teeth for 20 minutes or longer after the last exposure to sugar. After many attacks, tooth decay can develop.

About one in ten children get tooth decay (Early Childhood Caries) before they are two years old.

Baby teeth are not as strong as adult teeth. The enamel is thinner and the teeth are smaller, so anything that causes decay in adult teeth will decay a lot faster in a baby's tooth.

The most common cause of tooth decay is placing a baby in bed at night with a bottle of milk or sweetened liquid. The milk or liquid clings to the teeth all night. Tooth decay begins! Keep baby safe, by holding baby and bottle while feeding.

In rare circumstances, babies who are breastfed throughout the night over a long time are also at risk. A sweetened pacifier (dummy) can also cause early childhood tooth decay.

The early childhood decay in these toddlers has a typical pattern. It usually is noticed near the gum line of the upper front teeth.

Check for early signs of tooth decay and keep the teeth healthy by avoiding sweetening pacifiers (dummies) or putting babies to bed with bottles.

Occasionally when illness or other disturbance affects growing teeth, the quality of the tooth enamel is poor. Such teeth can decay more easily.

If you feel your baby is showing these signs, please get treatment and help straight away.

What causes tooth decay

There are a number of things that can cause tooth decay:

• Eating and drinking lots of sugary snacks and sugary drinks such as soft drinks, cakes, lollies and some carbohydrates.

• Not brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

• Low availability of fluoride. The level of dental caries in five year old children is approximately 20 -30% lower in areas with fluoridated water.

• Bacteria transferred from mother or other person's saliva to infant eg feeding spoons, pre-masticating food, kissing on the mouth, cleaning infant's pacifier by putting it in her mouth.

• The tooth mineral structure of an individual.

• Medication - Prolonged use of antibiotics inhibits tooth development. Medication such as inhalers can cause dry mouth.

Oral health workshops

We provide Oral Health Workshops for groups interested in learning more about oral health.

For more information please phone 0800 825 583 (0800 TALK TEETH)

Examination services are available from the Diagnostic Unit. Appointments for treatment after an examination are available at a fixed-site clinic. For all other enquiries, phone 0800 825 583 (0800 TALKTEETH) to find out how to access the service.

Our Community Dental Service has a sub-contracted service with Te Manu Toroa which is delivered by the mobile dental unit Te Waka Niho Tuatahi for:

• Merivale School

• Maketu School

• Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Matai

• Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepou

• Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kura Kokori

• Te Kura o Matapihi

• Te Kura O Te Moutere o Matakana

If your child has been enrolled in the service prior to age five the service will match their school enrolment details and transfer them to the clinic or mobile for the school they are attending.

If your child is between five years old and Year 8 and has had no previous enrolment with our Community Dental Service or Te Manu Toroa please contact 0800 825 583 (0800 TALKTEETH) to find out if your child is eligible to be enrolled into the service.

A limited school holiday service is available for emergency care

• Find emergency dental care

Parents are encouraged and welcome to attend all appointments with their children.

Adolescents, from age thirteen until they turn eighteen, are entitled to their free basic dental care from dentists who are contracted with Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty.

The year eight transfer process

During year 8, before students complete their final treatment with the community dental service at school, they will be given a list of dentists who will be able to provide free basic care until the student turns 18.

When they have their final visit with the school dental therapist the year 8 students will be asked if they know the name of the dentist in their community they want to be transferred to for ongoing free care, until they turn eighteen.

Please advise your child about the name of your family dentist. If you are unsure about the dentist you wish them to use, please find a  dentist here.

College Mobile Dental Services - WBOP

The following colleges are serviced by mobile dental units serviced by Te Manu Toroa or Dental Associates Pāpāmoa

These are:

• Tauranga Boys and Tauranga Girls
• For more information phone 027 298 9741 or go to: temanutoroa.org.nz/dental/teenage
• Otumoetai College and Pāpāmoa College
  For more information phone 027 298 9741 or go to: temanutoroa.org.nz/dental/teenage
• Te Puke High School 
  For more information phone 07 574 0214 or for the Mobile Dental Surgery 027 591 4820
• Mount Maunganui College
  For more information phone 07 574 3844
• Te Manu Toroa Kaupapa Māori Dental Service is also available in the Western Bay of Plenty Kura Kaupapa Māori. See their website: temanutoroa.org.nz

For any further information contact 07 557 5527

Back-up treatment for the College Mobile Dental Providers

Written communication should be provided to all the parents /caregivers of students who have enrolled with the College Mobile Dental Providers.

This communication should clearly outline where students enrolled with the College Mobile Dental Providers can receive back-up treatment during periods when their College Mobile Dental service is not available at their college. 

• The Mobile Adolescent Dental Service covering Tauranga Boys, Tauranga Girls, Pāpāmoa College and Otumoetai College; phone 027 298 9741 or 027 807 2038. Back-up treatment when the service is not at the college will be available at Pyes Pa Dental Service, phone 07-577 1477.
• Te Manu Toroa Kaupapa Māori Service covering Te Puke High School. For back-up treatment when  the service is not at the college, phone: 07 5740 214 or for the Mobile Dental Surgery 027 591 4820
• Bay Mobile Dental Service Mount Maunganui College. This service is provided by Russell Emerson. Phone: 0800 468 338 (0800 GO TEETH)

For further information phone us on 0800 825 583 (0800 Talk Teeth) 

Dental care when leaving school before age eighteen

Free basic dental care is available for all youth below the age of eighteen if they are enrolled in school or if they no longer attend school.

Youth wanting to receive free treatment before their 18th birthday

Please contact a dentist from the Western BOP contact list or phone 0800 825 583 (0800 TALK TEETH).

Using this FREE service ensures that they enter adulthood with a bright, healthy smile, which may reduce the need for expensive care after they turn eighteen.

Emergency Dental Services for Children and Adolescents

Contact your local oral health provider. If this service is unavailable (eg. Closed due to school holidays):

• Call 0800 825 583 (0800 TALK TEETH) for information about open holidays clinics
• Contact your own family dentist

If you are not registered with a dentist then contact a dentist from the list of providers of Emergency Dental Care for Children and Adolescents here.

The year eight transfer process

Youth from age thirteen until they turn eighteen are still entitled to their free basic dental care from dentists who are contracted with Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty.

Using this FREE service ensures that they enter adulthood with a bright, healthy smile, which may reduce the need for expensive care after they turn 18.

During year eight, before students complete their final treatment with the community dental service at school, they will be given a list of dentists who will be able to provide free basic care until the youth turns eighteen.

When the year eight child have chosen a dentist, their choice will be entered into a database by the dental therapist at the child's last visit. The adolescent oral health promoter will receive these students' details from the database at the end of that year.

These details will be transferred to the chosen dentists in mid-January the following year. These dentists will then work through their transfer list and invite the students to enrol with them for treatment. 

• For further information phone us on 0800 825 583 (0800 Talk Teeth)

Dental care when leaving school before age eighteen

Free basic dental care is available for all youths below the age of 18if they are enrolled in school or if they no longer attend school.

Youth wanting to receive free treatment before their 18th birthday

Find available clinics in the Eastern bay or phone 0800 825 583 (0800 Talk Teeth).

Transferring year 8 students to a contracting dentist

Information for parents/caregivers:

During year 8, before children complete their final treatment with the Community Dental Service, they will be given a list of dentists who will be able to provide free basic care until the child turns 18.

When they have their final visit with the school dental therapist the child will be asked if they know the name of the dentist in their community they want to be transferred to for ongoing free care, until they turn 18.

Please advise your child about the name of your family dentist. If you are unsure about the dentist you wish them to use, please find available clinics in the Eastern bay. 

Emergency dental services for children and adolescents

Contact your local oral health provider. If this service is unavailable (e.g., closed due to school holidays):

• Contact 0800 TALK TEETH- 0800 825 583 for information about open holidays clinics
• Contact your own family dentist

If you are not registered with a dentist, contact a dental clinic from one of our emergency dental clinics.

Related information/resources

• healthed.govt.nz | It's easy to protect your family's smile 
• Oral health and nutrition