Auckland children’s dental surgery waitlist falls by two-thirds

More children are getting faster access to dental treatment in Auckland, with the number of children waiting for dental surgery falling by more than 1,400 to its lowest level in years, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today. “Children shouldn’t have to wait months for the dental treatment they need. Reducing this surgical waitlist by two-thirds, going from 2,200 to 743, means hundreds of children in Auckland are now getting the care they need, without an unnecessary long wait,” Mr Doocey says. “A range of initiatives have helped significantly reduce the waitlist, including providing additional support for families, more weekday and Saturday theatre capacity, and closer collaboration between hospital and community oral health teams. “Eight months ago, a pilot of publicly funded sedation for dental treatment was launched, giving children aged five and over who might otherwise require treatment under general anaesthetic in hospital another place to go. “340 children have been referred to the service since it began, giving them an alternative faster way to receive treatment without having to go on the surgical waitlist. “By providing this additional pathway, we are helpi