Free Dental Care from 13 to 18yrs Old

What do you mean FREE treatment!

Free basic dental treatment is available for all teenagers until the day before their 18th birthday. You will need to check that the dentist of your choice provides these services. The Adolescent Oral Health Service is also here to help you find a suitable dentist.

What is basic dental treatment?
Your dentist will be able to tell you what treatment is available free under the Adolescent contract. Some basic treatment includes:

An annual check-up
Examination and Radiographs if necessary
Fissure sealants where relevant
Other preventative treatment like fluoride application
Root canal fillings
Extraction, but not orthodontic extractions
Oral health education and encouragement to continue good oral health

How to enrol
To be eligible for any of these services firstly the dentist must be a contracted dentist (please ask your dentist before commencing any work) and the adolescent must enrol.

Contact dentists on the list provided and ask if they are accepting any new enrolments.
Contact the Adolescent Oral Health Service or your School nurse and they will recommend a contracted dentist close to you and help you enrol.
Call any dentist in the yellow pages and ask if they are an adolescent oral health contracted dentist, continue until you find a suitable dentist.

Once you find a suitable dentist call them and make an appointment. On your first visit the dentist will ask you to fill out an enrolment form.

It is important once an appointment is scheduled that it is not missed. If the time does not suit or the appointment cannot be kept, the Dentist MUST be informed with plenty of notice. A charge may apply for missed appointments. It is possible to change Dentist, but a new enrolment form is required.

Emergencies
If a dental appointment is needed urgently, let the Dentist know when phoning for an appointment.

Accidents are usually funded by ACC. ACC only funds PART of the cost of dental care. This needs to be discussed with the Dentist.

For more information contact:

Adolescent Oral Health Services
Private Bag 31 907
Lower Hutt Valley District Health Board

Telephone: (04) 570 9048
Email: adolescent_oral_health@huttvalleydhb.org.nz