About us

Dental for All is a campaign for free, universal, Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent oral healthcare in Aotearoa. The campaign is led by ActionStation Aotearoa and supported by a core coalition, which includes unions, community organisations, oral health workers and many others passionate about transforming the way we treat oral health in Aotearoa – alongside a growing movement of everyday people organising for Dental for All in their communities.

Dental for All coalition

The Dental for All coalition first formed in 2022, when some campaigners, dentists, and unionists got together to talk about dental access in Aotearoa. With experience ranging from anti-poverty campaigning to clinical work in oral healthcare, this group saw how the cost of oral healthcare in the private system was a barrier to healthy, thriving communities. They decided to campaign for expansion of free dental care to everyone, regardless of age. As a core part of this there was a recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the importance of supporting Māori-led approaches to oral health. The Dental for All coalition has grown over time and includes the following organisations:

Our work

Read about the recent action we have taken for Dental for All – from research, to roadshows, and more – in these campaign updates from ActionStation’s annual reports:

You can also check out our research and media pages.

This work has been made possible by a grant from the Clare Foundation.

We have some exciting plans coming up to build people power and get Dental for All on the political agenda at the 2026 election, continuing our momentum from last year’s nationwide community roadshow.

Make sure you have signed up for updates to keep in the loop. Our movement is stronger with you in it!