Launch of Taranaki Community Oral Health Service

17 September 2010

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The opening of Rangiatea oral health clinic launches the new Taranaki Community Oral health service – with community as the focus.

Taranaki DHB Chief Executive Tony Foulkes said Associate Minister of Health Hon. Peter Dunne would be opening the clinic and formally commissioning the Taranaki Community Oral Health service on Friday, 17 September.

“The opening of Rangiatea acknowledges its significance as one of the six purpose built community hub clinics supported by mobile dental units buses across Taranaki,” said Mr Foulkes.

“The Taranaki Community Oral Health Service is far more than the bricks and mortar of these modern facilities. It’s about the acknowledgement and implementation of a Whanau Ora approach to oral health care and putting the family at the centre of our service and working with communities to meet their needs,” he said.

“It is pleasing to note that Dental therapists will be able to continue to offer a high quality dental service with state-of-the-art equipment but will no longer have to work in isolation.”

The investment in the Community Oral Health Service by the Ministry of Health is significant nationally and underlines the fact that this is a change in focus from the School Dental Service, established in 1921, to a community based service for children from birth to 18 years.

The service will work in collaboration with WellChild Providers and private dentists to deliver a comprehensive service.

The Taranaki Community Oral Health Service has been an ongoing project for the past five years and all clinics are due to be in operation by early 2011.

For more information please call

Sue Carrington
Media Adviser
Ph 021 367 789

Last updated: Wednesday, April 7, 2021