Towards Better Oral Health for New Zealanders
Good oral health remains an aspiration that is yet to be achieved by many
New Zealanders.
Healthy mouths, healthy lives: Better oral health for every New Zealander.
At the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA), we believe everyone deserves good oral health for life.
Many New Zealanders don’t enjoy good oral health. As a nation, we have many people with high levels of oral diseases, especially dental decay. Many of the stats highlighted in our Roadmap Towards Better Oral Health are quite alarming.
A change for the better
The good news is that we can change this.
Our Roadmap Towards Better Oral Health sets out a nationwide plan for lasting change. It’s a blueprint to ensure Kiwis everywhere can access the oral health care they need, when and where they need it.
The 2026 Oral Health Report Card works alongside the Roadmap by measuring progress against its priorities. It shows where New Zealand is moving in the right direction, where outcomes are standing still and where stronger action and investment are needed.
Together, the Roadmap and Report Card provide both the plan for change and the evidence needed to track progress, inform policy and hold decision-makers accountable.
We need more dentists. We need better and more affordable access to care. We need measures to help prevent oral health issues and dental decay. We need… there’s a lot to do!
It’s a big ask. But it’s do-able. The Roadmap Towards Better Oral Health is evidence-based. It’s professionally developed. Its recommendations are both practicable and proven to work.
It will improve Kiwis’ lives and reduce barriers, so that good oral health is achievable for all of us.
