Kia ora, Talofa lava, Mālō e leilei, Kia orāna, Bula, Fakaalofa lahi atu – warm greetings to our community
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s dental needs, please contact us on 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) to speak with one of our staff.
Free Dental Services for Children Living in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland):
The Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS) is funded to provide free general dental care from birth until the end of school Year 8 for eligible children in the Auckland Region. Following this, eligible tamariki from school year 9 are transferred to the Adolescent services to continue free dental care until their 18th birthday. (Please refer to Frequently Asked Questions to see eligibility information).
Based on clinically assessed dental risk level, your child will be provided a recall of 6, 12 or 18 months. Our dental/oral health therapists will provide your child’s clinical oral health care. Should your child require specific dental treatment that our therapists have assessed as being unable to provide, a referral to a contracting dentist for free treatment may be provided. Please note that if sedation is required, there may be costs associated with this.
Due to the high demand for our services, dental appointments outside a child’s recall will only be provided based on the child’s dental needs as assessed by one of our therapists. ARDS is not able to offer appointments for routine cleaning and scaling and/or orthodontic-related extractions.
For urgent dental treatment needs outside of our normal operating hours, please contact your nearest dentist and ask if they are contracted to offer free emergency after-hours care for children.
Alternatively, medical care in relation to an urgent dental condition can be accessed through your GP/family doctor or an emergency medical practice. Free 24-hour advice on what to do in a dental emergency is also accessible through Healthline on 0800 611 116.
Please click here for Dental Trauma First Aid poster for your information.
The Auckland Regional Dental Service (Children’s Community Dental Service).
The Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS) operates across the Health New Zealand Waitematā, Te Toka Tumai Auckland and Counties Manukau catchment areas. Free dental care is available for eligible children from birth to their 18th Birthday and includes dental examinations and x-rays, preventive treatments and treatment of dental caries, which may include fillings. Dental treatment is provided by different dental providers depending on a child’s age.
Children from birth to school year 8
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The Children’s Community Dental Service provides free dental services to children from birth to Year 8.
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We operate from 83 dental facilities across the greater Auckland area.
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These facilities include a mixture of community-based clinics and mobile dental services.
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Dental care within the Children’s Community Dental Service is primarily provided by dental therapists and oral health therapists who are qualified professionals specialising in oral health diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
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Parents and caregivers are welcome to attend appointments with their child.
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How often we see your child is based on your child’s clinical needs.
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Our therapists will assess your child’s needs and talk to you about it.
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Please note we do not provide orthodontic care.
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Contact us on 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583), or find clinics in your area here.
General Dental Check
Your child's first dental appointments should start when they are about 1 year old.
At your child’s general dental check they will have a full clinical dental examination by a registered Dental Therapist/Oral Health Therapist. Depending on your child's age and needs, this may include x-rays to check for problems below the gum, between & inside teeth, bone areas and tissue within the mouth.
Your child will also have their dental needs assessment completed. The assessment will help determine the best time for your child to be seen for their next general dental check - 6- 12- or 18-months time.
The dental needs assessment considers several things:
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The clinical dental examination
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X-ray results (if applicable)
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Your child’s diet and brushing habits
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Any dental problems your child has had in the past
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Some medical factors
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Preventive treatments used.
You can talk to your Dental Therapist/Oral Health Therapist if you have any questions about your child’s dental treatment or dental needs assessment.
Clinics in your Area
View a list of hub clinics in your area.
Healthy teeth
Here are some ways you can help to keep your child's teeth healthy:
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Brush teeth two times a day with fluoride toothpaste
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Give your child water to drink when thirsty, it is fresh and free
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Don’t let your child sleep with a bottle in their mouth
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Keep sweet foods to meal times and try to give teeth a rest of 2 hours between eating
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Give sugar-free snacks such as bread, cheese, vegemite, fresh fruit, vegetables, egg, plain crackers.
If you want to know more about what dental care and advice we provide, talk to the Dental Therapist/Oral Health Therapist at your nearest clinic or call: 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583).
The Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS) operates across the Health New Zealand Waitematā, Te Toka Tumai Auckland and Counties Manukau catchment areas. Free dental care is available for eligible children from birth to their 18th Birthday and includes dental examinations and x-rays, preventive treatments and treatment of dental caries, which may include fillings. Dental treatment is provided by different dental providers depending on a child’s age.
Children from school year 9 to their 18th birthday (Adolescent)
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Free dental care continues for your child when they move to secondary school (Year 9 onwards), right up until your child turns 18.
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Adolescent dental care is provided by specific dental practices within communities and mobile dental services at high schools and colleges which have a contract with the District Health Board. If a dental provider does not have a contract with the DHB then the service will not be free.
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To receive free treatment, your child is required to enrol with a dentist who holds a contract with the DHB in your area
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The majority of dental work is free but this does not include orthodontic work or any treatments associated with orthodontics and treatments related to accidents. ACC will normally cover the treatment costs related to accidents.
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Regardless of whether adolescents are at school, in paid employment or not, they are still entitled to free dental services.
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For more information about enrolment, or to find a free adolescent dental care practice near you, please see below or phone 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583).
Adolescent Contracting Dental Practices in the Auckland Region
View a list of clinics in the community
Adolescent Mobile Dental Providers
Mobile dental services are provided to most schools and colleges in Auckland. The service is provided from a mobile dental surgery on the school grounds.
List of schools where the adolescent mobile service operates.
All babies born in Auckland’s main hospitals are automatically registered with the free Children’s Community Dental Service.
If your child is new to Auckland or new to New Zealand, they may not be registered with us. To enrol/register your child,
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Complete the ARDS Dental Registration and Update Details e-form.
Note: Please open the e-form in Adobe Reader to complete properly (click here to download Adobe Reader for free)
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Once completed, there are links at the bottom of the form; you can choose to either email or print and send the form to:
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Email: ards@waitematadhb.govt.nz
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Post: Private Bag 93 503, Takapuna 0740
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For more information, you can contact 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583).
Please contact ARDS on 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583)
If you would like to update your contact details and include an email address on your child’s file, please email ARDS@waitematadhb.govt.nz
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- ARDS – Frequently asked Questions
- Brushing Chart
- Caring for your Baby-Toddlers Teeth - ARDS
- What to do if you damage a tooth?
- My Lunchbox colouring activity
- Oral Health Messages 5 to 12 years
- Oral Health Messages Pre-schoolers
- Oral Health Messages 0-6 months
- Oral Health Messages Pregnancy
- Oral Health Messages Teenagers
- Smart Snacks And Lunch Box Ideas
- Sugar Fact Sheet
For more information on good oral healthcare see the Healthy Smiles website.
Good dental health for your child starts in the home
Most oral health conditions are largely preventable. We recommend all whānau/families support their tamariki with twice-a-day tooth brushing using fluoride toothpaste and limiting sugary food and drinks as best you can. Further information on key oral health messages for different age groups is provided on our website.
Multi-language resources
Frequently asked questions
All children from birth to their 18th birthday who meet the following criteria are deemed eligible for publicly funded health care in New Zealand:
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Parent or child is a NZ citizen or holds a resident visa or permanent resident visa
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Parent or child is a citizen of, or has a birth certificate from, the Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau
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Parent or child is an Australian citizen or Australian Permanent Resident who has lived or intends to live in NZ for 2 years or more
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Parent is the holder of a work visa of at least 2 years’ continuous duration from the first date of entry into NZ
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Holders of an interim visa where immediately prior to their interim visa, they were eligible for publicly funded health and disability services
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Parent or child studying in NZ under the New Zealand Aid Programme and receiving Official Development Assistance funding via a New Zealand Government Scholarship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
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Parent or child is a refugee, protected person and/or victim of people trafficking.
You may be asked to provide relevant documents to prove your or your child’s eligibility status during the ARDS enrolment process.
For further information, refer to Te Whatu Ora Eligibility explained.
- An oral health examination that checks teeth, cheeks, gums and health of the supporting facial tissues.
- Advice and encouragement about how to take care of teeth and gums for good oral health and a lovely smile!
- Dental X-rays, when necessary
- Preventive treatments that help prevent decay, such as fluoride and fissure sealants (coatings)
- Fillings on baby and adult teeth (restorations) and removing baby teeth (extractions) if needed. A referral when more comprehensive care is needed is also part of our care.
Phone 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) to speak to one of our friendly staff. We are happy to help find a suitable time and the best place for you to come to an appointment.
Generally, your children will see a dental therapist or oral health therapist.
However, for some specialised treatments, your child may need to be seen by a dentist.
We have dental clinics across Auckland that support accessibility for people with physical disabilities. If you have questions please phone 0800 TALK TEETH to discuss your child’s specific needs.
Primary or baby teeth start developing before your child is born and will start to come through in the mouth at around six months. All 20 teeth will be through by about age three, and at around six years the adult teeth will begin to come through. For more information please see the Ministry of Health
Most children do suffer some pain during teething. Their cheeks may appear red and warm to touch. Using special gels and teething rings can help to reduce the pain. However, teething does not cause health problems like high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and ear infection. If the child has any of these symptoms, or if pain continues, it is best to consult with a health professional.
Children should start using fluoride toothpaste as soon as their first teeth come through the gums. An adult should make sure that only a smear (rice gran size) be used for children under two and a pea-size for children over six years.
Loose baby teeth are a normal part of growing and will almost always fall out by themselves, some take longer than others and sometimes the new tooth can be seen before the baby tooth comes out. Please encourage your child to keep wiggling the tooth, even if it might be a bit uncomfortable. If a loose baby tooth takes more than a couple of months to fall out or your child is in significant discomfort or pain, please contact 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583) to talk to one of our friendly staff about it.
Tooth decay, dental decay or a cavity is the gradual break down of the tooth, most commonly caused by sugar. The bacteria in the plaque in your mouth turns sugar on your teeth into acid. This acid attacks the enamel of your teeth and after repeated attacks creates a hole or cavity.
Dental plaque is a soft, sticky coating of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. If not removed by brushing and flossing, the bacteria in dental plaque can cause tooth decay and gum disease.