Oral Health National Clinical Network

Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic disease globally, in all age groups. It has considerable consequences for individuals’ and families’ wellbeing, health and quality of life, and is costly for patients and their family, health systems and society.

Although oral health within Aotearoa New Zealand has considerably improved over time, approximately one in three people have untreated coronal caries. Dental caries is one of the leading causes of preventable hospital admissions for our children. A small, but not unsubstantial, proportion of young adults present to hospital emergency departments with infections of dental origin, some of which are life-threatening. Among our care-dependent older people, over half have untreated coronal caries and one in three have untreated root caries.

There is significant and persistent inequality in oral health outcomes for Māori, Pacific peoples, people with disability, people dependent on others for their oral care, and those on fixed and low incomes, or living in rural areas.

The Oral Health National Clinical Network is dedicated to ensuring equitable and high-quality oral health outcomes for all by:

• providing national clinical leadership and expertise to oversee the strategic direction, priorities and work programme for publicly-funded oral health services
• supporting the delivery of consistent quality of care, and the removal of unwarranted variation in access and outcomes across the country
• informing investments and national workforce planning.

The Network will develop and maintain systems to monitor progress towards these goals and objectives.

The timeline and priorities for the Network will be set by a work programme focussed on equity and population health gain.

Change will be through the development of innovative, equity-driven, efficient, and evidence-based solutions including national standards, models of care, and workforce initiatives.

These solutions will be informed by national and international evidence, and by the lived experiences of people receiving oral health services and the priorities identified by IMPBs and communities.

The Network will support workforce development initiatives that foster a clinically and culturally competent, safe, and diverse workforce.

The Network will work with relevant national, regional, and local stakeholders to identify and agree implementation of care and services required at different levels, who should provide these services, and how the services should be delivered. The network will work alongside iwi, Hauora Māori providers, Māori oral health services, and equity-focused groups to align these priorities, policy and service delivery with Māori health aspirations.