Take advantage of limited free dental care in Northland
Be Quick! The New Zealand Dental Association’s (NZDA) Smile NZ Free Dental Days are back and these book up fast.
If you:
Need dental care but can’t afford a dentist
Hold a Community Services Card
then this is a great opportunity to get some work done. Here we’ve explained what Free Dental Days are and where to find a dentist near you. For useful links and a phone number, see the bottom of the article.
What are Smile NZ Free Dental Days?
Each year the NZDA, in conjunction with Southern Cross Health Trust and a raft of dentist volunteers, hosts Free Dental Days up and down New Zealand, where local people can get one job done on their teeth without paying a cent.
This opportunity is available to Community Services Card holders who might not otherwise be able to afford visiting the dentist.
Last year’s event was a huge success, with 52 clinics across the country opening their doors to the public to treat thousands of Kiwis in need.
Where to find Free Dental Days volunteers in Northland
Here at Kowhai Dental, we’re not able to join the Smile NZ initiative this year – but some of our friends and colleagues around the region can, and one of them might be near you.
According to the NZDA, these three clinics will be open in August:
Gentle Dental, Ruakaka (13 August)
Mangawhai Dental Clinic (14 August and 21 August)
Kensington Dental (21 August)
Please do not contact these clinics directly about their free days. There is a phone number at the bottom of this article that you can call to organise your visit.
Learn more: NZDA Smile NZ pamphlet (Upper North Island)
Looking after your teeth between free days
We have to be honest: it’s possible that, because these spots fill up so quickly, you may miss out this year. So, if you can’t get access this year it’s all the more important that you try your hardest to look after your teeth between dental visits and get what care you can on a payment plan that works for you.
To help you, we’ve got a few links you might find useful for looking after your teeth and figuring out how to afford the dentist even on a budget.
How to look after your teeth between dental visits
Always brush your teeth two times a day, for two minutes at a time.
Don’t forget to brush the backs of your teeth and around behind your back molars, not just the fronts.
Your tongue and gums also need a brush! To brush your gums, hold the toothbrush at a 45° angle to the gumline at the base of your teeth and scrub in a side-to-side (vibrating) motion.
Don’t rinse your mouth after brushing, so the toothpaste has time to work its magic. Wait maybe 15-30 minutes before rinsing or drinking anything.
Try to floss regularly if you can afford to purchase floss for your family. Once a day is ideal, but even just whenever you can is more than nothing.
The same goes for mouthwash – antibacterial mouthwash is great at fighting bacteria in the mouth and can be used between brushings.
If you consume sugar, something acidic, alcohol or you smoke, consider drinking water afterwards to rinse your mouth.
Helpful links to give you more advice
Book your dentist today
Smile NZ dentists book out quickly so if you want to organise getting into a free dental day you’ll need to move fast.
To book, call 0800 373 376. But please be prepared to wait – spots are limited and the lines are often busy.
Additionally, if you need more work done, can’t get a free day, or require help between free dental days, know that we’re here for you at Kowhai. We know affording the dentist isn’t always easy, which is why we offer a number of payment plans and options to try to make it as simple and painless as possible.
To find out more or to organise an appointment, call us on 09 430 0707 or book online.