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AN OVERVIEW
In collaboration with Dental Planet, we are happy to present our free mobile oral health initiative, Niho Ora ki Hauraki!
Funded by Te Whatu Ora, Niho Ora ki Hauraki aims to address Hauraki's unmet oral health needs by providing funded oral health care to eligible whānau. Through locality-led community engagement, oral health was identified as one of eight health priorities for the Hauraki area. Cost, long waitlists, travel, location and experience were all highlighted as barriers that prevent whānau from accessing oral health care in Hauraki. Created to ease or eliminate these barriers, Niho Ora ki Hauraki provides an oral health service that breathes manaakitanga, is delivered closer to people's homes and is free for eligible people. Thanks to our partnership with oral healthcare provider Dental Planet, we were able to make this a reality.
Delivery of service
Upon our launch on January 16th, 2024 expressions of interest forms were circulated online to provide insight into the locations with the highest demand for the initiative. With 417 expressions of interest received, the locations selected were Thames, Manaia, Paeroa and Waihī. During each school holiday break in 2024, Niho Ora ki Hauraki travelled to the areas within Hauraki that expressed the greatest demand. Areas travelled consisted of Thames (twice), Manaia, Paeroa and Waihī.
Eligibility
As Niho Ora ki Hauraki is a funded initiative with limited capacity, eligibility criteria were introduced to manage the demand and allocation of available treatments. The eligibility criteria were as follows.
To be eligible for Niho Ora ki Hauraki you must be:
- Committed to attending both the initial dental screening and treatment appointments
- Aged 19 years and over
- Eligible for a Community Services Card
- Living in Hauraki.
Click here to register your expression of interest for Niho Ora ki Hauraki.
Please note, completing an expression of interest form does not guarantee you an assessment and treatment. However, our team is working hard to meet demand and offer alternative solutions.
We are happy to announce that oral health treatments have successfully been provided for more than 150 whānau across our three launches in Thames, Manaia and Paeroa
Mō Tātou o Hauraki, Hauraki a Healthy Nation!
Addressing the oral health need of Pare Hauraki
Free for eligible people
Reducing barriers for those with the greatest need
Bringing oral health care to our rural, hard to reach communities
Expression of Interest
Where was the need?
Niho Ora ki Hauraki officially launched on January 16th, 2024.
The locations identified (at the time of the first launch) with the highest level of demand or need were as follows:
- Thames
- Manaia
- Paeroa
- Waihī
- Kennedy Bay
- Whitianga
- Kaiaua.
At the end of 2024, we had received a total of 417 expressions of interest.
What We've Found
A summary to date (Jan-April 2024)
So far, we have successfully launched our oral health initiative in Thames and Manaia, treating a total of 109 patients to date. Across our two launches, there were 130 treatments of gum disease administered, 89 teeth extracted and a total of 226 fillings.
We found that 50% of whānau using Niho Ora ki Hauraki were in pain or experiencing some levels of discomfort. Other reasons for accessing the service were due to financial difficulties, dental hygiene or just for a check-up.
We have noticed a difference in severity between Manaia and Thames so far which has been reflected in the average cost of treatment per patient. The average cost of treatment in Thames was $975 with the average in Manaia being $1167. This is a difference of $192. With our initiative yet to launch in Paeroa and Waihī, the areas displaying the greatest need are expected to change.
