28106 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Health

28106 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Health: Further to WPQ 22819 (2025) Is the Government planning any further initiatives to eliminate the dental waitlist for children in 2025; if yes, what are they?

Hon Simeon Brown: As I said in Written Parliamentary Question 22819 (2025), I am advised there has been a 27 per cent reduction in the number of children waitlisted for dental services in Taranaki since November 2023. As part of our Government's focus on putting patients first and ensuring that all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare, Health New Zealand further advises that a range of actions are underway to reduce paediatric dental waitlists even more. These include boosting overall treatment capacity by partnering with private providers and deploying mobile dental units.