Internship Report: Oral Health and Nutrition of Tamaiti
Intern Daniel Hiroti’s recent report shines a light on one of the most powerful foundations of lifelong wellbeing: oral health in the first 2000 days of a child’s life. For tamariki Māori, this journey is too often shaped by systemic barriers - from access to healthy kai and dental care, to the stressors that affect whānau wellbeing.
Why it matters
Good oral health in early childhood doesn’t just mean healthy teeth - it sets tamariki up for confidence, nutrition, learning, and wellbeing that lasts a lifetime. Yet, tamariki Māori experience higher rates of oral unhealth than non-Māori. The reasons are complex, including non-fluoridated water in Whanganui, high costs of adult dental care, limited rural services, and the shame and mistrust too often felt in dental environments.
Where change is needed
Daniel highlights that prevention and equity must be at the heart of the response. That means:
Advocating for fluoridated water and subsidised adult dental care.
Expanding mobile clinics and kaupapa Māori-led oral health education.
Supporting whānau-led solutions where tamariki and their families co-design what services should look like.
Growing the Māori oral health workforce, so care feels safe and culturally grounded.
A whānau-led vision
The report paints a future where oral health is seen as part of holistic wellbeing — where whānau lead wānanga on oral health from pregnancy, tamariki learn through culturally relevant education, and role modelling is strengthened because parents can access care without cost being a barrier.
At its heart, Daniel’s mahi reminds us that tamariki deserve to thrive with bright smiles, strong role models, and systems that support equity from the very beginning.
