Talking teeth for tamariki
Marie Tata is a people person and is
passionate about improving the health
of tamariki. Behind the scenes she is
part of a team working to boost the
number of pre-schoolers being enrolled
for free dental health services.
For a long time the BOPDHB has struggled to
reach its pre-schoolers enrolment target, records
showed about 1800 Māori pre-schoolers were
missing. Since Marie and the team has been
on the job there has been a vast improvement.
Latest data shows 75.7% of Māori pre-schoolers
are enrolled for free dental care compared with
58.6% in March 2017.
Marie says there’s nothing too complex about
what they’re doing.
“When I joined the team in August last year, I
was given a long list of names to get through
and there were several numbers for each person.
It was a bit daunting. But then I realised I
recognised some of the names or knew their
extended whānau, that made a difference.”
Marie says knowing the whakapapa connections
coupled with her connections with Hauora across
the Bay of Plenty has stood her in good stead.
“I phone, text, make contact through Facebook
messaging and if I know the whānau will ring
the Nani or whomever to track down
the caregiver.”
Marie estimates she makes 60 calls each day.
“Everybody’s got their own story, I’m not
judgemental it’s important. The biggest
thing I concentrate on is my approach to the
conversation and saying the person’s name
correctly, and that of their child. There are so
many different ways to spell names. You’ve got
to get the pronunciation right. It makes a big
difference to how receptive they are and how the
conversation goes. I like to get it spot on.”
More than 500 tamariki have been enrolled for
free dental care through Marie and the team’s
work. And it’s emerged that a further 400
tamariki have left the region.
“I haven’t come across anyone yet who doesn’t
want their child to be enrolled for free dental
checks. What I’m hearing from people is it can
be difficult to get to the mobile dental clinics.
Some don’t have a vehicle or it’s at work with
their partner. They may live rurally. And there
are also transport costs to consider.”
Marie is based within the Good to Great Team
in Māori Health Gain and Development working
closely with the Community Health 4 Kids team.
“I hear stories about tamariki having operations
to get their teeth removed before they even start
school. I’m a Nani, I’ve got mokopuna, it’s heart
breaking when you think of the pain those little
kids must have suffered.”
Marie Tata is one of the faces behind the scene helping tamariki to enrol for free dental care.
Healthy baby teeth are important, not only for
chewing food - they contribute to self-esteem,
confidence, appearance and proper speech. The
baby teeth also hold spaces for, and guide the
position of adult teeth.
If baby teeth are removed ahead of their
natural time to fall out, space for the adult teeth
may be lost.
War on tooth decay in the Bay
Free dental care was provided in the Eastern
Bay township of Taneatua recently in a New
Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) exercise with
BOPDHB and Tuhoe iwi.
Exercise Wisdom Tooth saw the 25-member
NZDF team providing dental treatment at a
temporary clinic set up at the Taneatua Medical
Centre over two weeks.
“The NZDF engages regularly in community
outreach activities in New Zealand and the
southwest Pacific region,” says Warrant Officer
Class 2 Ross Heald, who led the team.
“An important part of our training is practising
delivery of treatment in a field environment.
This is what we do on operations such as
when we deploy to the Pacific as part of a
humanitarian aid response.”
Such activities also provided an opportunity
for the NZDF to support community health
promotion efforts, says Warrant Officer Heald.
The NZDF contingent comprises a mix of
Regular Force personnel and reservists,
and includes up to six dentists, four dental
hygienists, eight dental assistants and a physical
training Instructor.
Amongst the contingent of Army reserves were
BOPDHB Community Dental Oral Health
Therapist Timmy Reiber and Dental Assistant
Elle Lloyd. Lieutenant Reiber and Private
Lloyd are Army reserves outside of their day
jobs.
Lieutenant Timmy Reiber (BOPDHB Dental Oral Health Therapist) talks to schoolchildren about the
importance of maintaining good oral health, a healthy diet and exercise.
Even if your baby has no teeth, it’s a good idea
to enrol your child, setting them on a path for
good oral health for life.
Phone 0800 TALKTEETH (0800 825 583) or
0800 935 5543 to make an appointment to have
your child’s teeth checked. For more details see
www.bopdhb.govt.nz and search Talk Teeth.
While in Taneatua the NZDF team also held
presentations on the importance of maintaining
good oral health, a healthy diet and exercise to
about 400 schoolchildren.
A Tuhoe spokesman says the iwi valued highly
the assistance of the NZDF.
“For those with the greatest oral health needs,
this service is offering respite from a build-up
of dental care neglect while also providing the
opportunity to build meaningful relationships
between Tuhoe and the NZDF.”
The NZDF ran a similar programme in Kaitaia
four years ago, and does so as part of its regular
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
exercises in the southwest Pacific.
Exercise Wisdom Tooth - New Zealand Defence
Force personnel provide dental treatment at a
temporary clinic in Taneatua.
Private Elle Lloyd (BOPDHB Dental Assistant) on
her first NZDF exercise since joining the
troops late last year.