Te niho waiora me te iwi Maori: dental health and the Maori people.

The standard of dental health for Maori people is still far below that of the non-Maori (Pakeha or European) in this country. Their dental health needs are not being met by the dental profession. However, by making the delivery of dentistry culturally acceptable to Maori people and making dentistry appropriate and accessible for Maori people, much can be achieved. The Maori Dental Health Clinic at the School of Dentistry has shown this in the short time of its existence. One cannot change the way in which a restoration is done, but one can change the approach in which that restoration is done. By acknowledging and recognising the importance of the whanau, the family, in the delivery of dental health services, the dental profession in this country can go a long way to improve the dental health of the Maori people. Kia ora koutou katoa.