16/04/2026
Oranga Niho te Take! Working collectively for better oral health outcomes 🦷
Clare Foundation, Te Ao Mārama Aotearoa Māori Dental Association, Dental for All, Ngā Mōkai o ngā Whetū Aotearoa Māori Dental Students’ Association and AUT Oral Health are working together toward a shared vision ‘Oranga Niho te Take!’.
Waitangi Week at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds is an annual gathering that brings people together in a space of remembrance, connection and shared purpose at the site where Te Tiriti o Waitangi was first signed.
For many, it is a living expression of community, culture and ongoing kōrero about the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our lives, the wellbeing of our people and our collective future.
Each year, thousands of people from across Aotearoa gather at Waitangi to commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi on 6 February 1840. This year, our newly formed collective, Oranga Niho te Take, came together with a shared commitment to improving oral health outcomes and held a stall at the hauora grounds alongside many other service providers, marking an oral health presence at Waitangi.
We spoke to hundreds of people about the Dental for All campaign. Many also shared stories we’ve heard so many times before of being locked out of our private oral health system and unable to access the treatment they need. Working side by side with oral health professionals meant that whānau were able to join the campaign for free, universal, Te Tiriti consistent oral healthcare as well as receiving professional advice about preventative care and where to access oral healthcare in their rohe.
A highlight was seeing tamariki return to the tent multiple times, inviting their parents to come with them to learn more about the campaign, oral healthcare and leaving with a bag full of goodies to help them care for their teeth.
Read more about our collective experience ⬇️
