Te Whatu Ora Whanganui - Hospital Dental Unit

We provide a range of outpatient and inpatient oral health services on referral from a medical or dental practitioner.

A limited range of dental services are funded for some adults.  You may still need to pay some of the treatment cost.

 Those eligible include:

• people with disabilities or medical conditions such as mouth cancer who may be referred to the hospital dental unit for their dental treatment by their usual dental practitioner or GP.
• people who are referred for oral and maxillofacial (surgery of the face and jaw) services
• those who need hospital dental unit level care for their dental needs
• children who require dental treatment under general anaesthesia. 

Community Oral Health Service

Free dental care for children and adolescents

New Zealand children are entitled to free basic oral health services from birth until their 18th birthday.

It’s important to enrol your child as early as possible with the service, so you can arrange the first check-up.

Your child’s first visit will usually be between six and nine months of age.

Dental staff will let you know the time of your appointment once you enrol.

To enrol from birth to Year 8 call 0800 Talk Teeth 0800 825 583 or complete the information sheet below and email it to teeth@wdhb.org.nz.

Information Sheet – Community Oral Health Service

If your child is Year 9 or older, you can choose which dentist to provide your child's dental care. 

Enrolment to Adolescent Oral Health Services form

Local Dental Care Providers List

Mobile Dental Clinics

We have seven mobile dental clinics in our district. Download 2023 Mobile Dental Contact numbers here.

Fixed Dental Clinics

Our fixed dental clinics in the Whanganui District are as follows:

Related information: 

Sugar content in food and drink
Preventative treatments
Dental materials
Pulpotomy and stainless crowns

Radiographs (X-rays)

Publicly funded dental care - Ministry of Health website