Labour promises free dental care for under 30s

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has kicked off his re-election campaign with a shiny promise to young voters – free dental care.

Hipkins fired up Labour’s supporters on Saturday, who crowded the Aotea Centre as campaign fever took hold. On Sunday, National’s Christopher Luxon will officially launch his campaign to be prime minister.

Hipkins promised Labour, if re-elected, would deliver free dental care for under 30-year-olds before the next election. It would be a staggered roll-out, promising free dental care for 18 to 23-year-olds by July 2025. The next year, it would expand to cover everyone under 30 years old.

Dental care is already free for everyone under 18.

Hipkins said most dental treatment would be covered – essentially everything except for oral surgery. It would see the Government pick up the bill for check-ups, basic fillings, X-rays, basic tooth extractions, and teeth cleans.

It would cost $390 million to provide free dental care to 18 to 29-year-olds over the next four years, Hipkins. That included a $10 million provision to train more dentists.

“By the end of our next term in Government nearly 40% of all Kiwis will have access to free dental care,” Hipkins said.

In November, the Association of Salaried Medical Professionals urged the Government to fund universal dental care. In its report Tooth Be Told, the association suggested starting a roll-out of universal dental care with a provision first to low income adults.

Its report said 40% of adults couldn’t afford to go to a dentist.

In an Official Information Act request to Stuff released last year, then Health Minister Andrew Little said it would cost more than $1 billion to provide universal dental care.

The Green Party was also campaigning for free dental care. It promised to provide universal free dental care.

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