Election 2026
Vote for Dental for All
Dental for All calls for oral healthcare to be free and universal, Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent and delivered in the public healthcare system. You can read our full policy proposal here or check out the summary resource here.
This election, we encourage you to vote for political parties and candidates who are committed to creating a fairer oral healthcare system for us all. We’ve put together a quick guide below to show where political parties stand.
Voting is open from now until Saturday 7 November. Head to vote.nz to find out where and when you can vote. Make a plan, vote early, and support your friends and whānau to do the same.
Illustration by Kahu Kutia
Party policies
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🙂 Work towards free dental care for everyone, delivered in the public system
🙂 Support by-Māori for-Māori community clinics
🙂 Fund mobile clinics to improve rural access
The Green Party have maintained their policy of free, universal oral healthcare. It is great to see the 2026 election policy emphasises public provision of dental and primary care services, and support for Māori providers. Oral health is included within broader health policies which focus on investing in the health system, prevention and ensuring healthcare is equitable and accessible.
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🙂 Free dental care for all whānau
🙂 Invest in Marae-based clinics and mobile units
🙂 Te Tiriti-based transformation of health system
We welcome Te Pāti Māori’s new policy of free oral healthcare, along with free primary healthcare for all whānau. Their broader health policy focuses on Te Tiriti-based transformation of the health system, access to care, and a shift towards prevention and whānau wellbeing.
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🙂 Bring dental services into marae and Māori communities
🙂 Establish an iwi-governed Māori health authority and strengthen Māori health provision
Te Tai Tokerau Party have a strong focus on whānau wellbeing, embedding Māori leadership in health, and delivering healthcare directly in the community. We welcome the inclusion of oral healthcare in this vision.
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🙂 Improve access to free dental care for children
☹️ No policy on adult dental care
Labour have committed in their 2026 election manifesto to fix the way that children's dental care is delivered, so that all children get the free care that they are already entitled to. The policy doesn't provide further detail on how this will be achieved. We support more investment in children's oral healthcare which is already delivered publicly, and also call for these services to be expanded so that the whole whānau can access care.
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☹️ No dental policy released
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☹️ No dental policy released
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☹️ No dental policy released
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☹️ No dental policy released
Along with this resource, we encourage you to learn more about where each party stands on public healthcare and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Check out these scorecards and questionnaire responses:
To find out more about each party’s positions on oral health, you can also read their responses to questionnaires from the Head & Neck Cancer Community and NZ Dental Association.
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Posters
Print out the posters linked below to share this resource with your community and let people know where they can vote:
The information on this page is based on publicly released election policies as of October 30, 2026, with analysis by Dental for All campaigners:
Political parties were notified in early October and followed up. We have included analysis of dental policies from parties polling above 5% or with a current sitting MP.
Authorised by ActionStation Aotearoa, PO Box 19069, Wellington 6141