Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS)
Free dental care is available for children aged 0 years to Year 8 (Form 2) or until their 18th birthday.
School dental service
ARDS provides free dental care for pre-school children and school children at ARDS clinics in the greater Auckland area. Mobile dental clinics may also be based at Kohanga Reo and Pacific Island Language Nests.
Enrolment
You need to be enrolled with ARDS to receive free dental care at one of our clinics. To enrol your child for free dental care you must complete an enrolment form. The completed form provides consent to an examination only.
Enrolling a pre-school aged child (0-5 years):
- Contact the dental clinic at the school closest to your home address; these are listed in the phone book under the school name. The dental therapist will either take your details and contact you at a later date or may make an appointment straight away
- Contact Plunket/PHO - they will ask you to fill out an enrolment form which allows the dental therapist to examine only. They will ensure that the form is sent to the ARDS administration office.
An initial appointment letter will be posted to you asking you to attend the ARDS dental clinic closest to your home address. Most pre-schoolers require 12–18 month visits to the ARDS dental clinic. In some cases where there may be a problem, the visits will be sooner.
Enrolling a school aged child:
- When a child enters school and is already enrolled as a pre-schooler, the process occurs automatically. The therapist will transfer the child from the pre-school roll to the school roll
- If the child has not been previously enrolled at that clinic you will receive an enrolment pack either from the school office or the dental clinic.
Signing the enrolment form allows the therapist to examine the child only – all treatments including cleaning must have parent/guardian consent. If, at the time of examination, the therapist diagnoses treatment required, an advice and consent form will be issued stating the treatments required and asking for the medical history to be updated. Before any treatment is given this form must be signed and the medical history filled out.
Fact sheets are available on request for treatment/materials used in the Auckland Regional Dental Service.
You are welcome to attend any appointment with your child.
If you want to know more about what dental care and advice we provide, talk to the dental therapist at your ARDS clinic or call: 0800 4 DENTAL (0800 4336825).