This Matariki Tipu Ora's dental service is promoting good oral health for all.
This means easier access for the wider community to enjoy good oral health.
"This Matariki take a moment to think about whether it's time for a dental check up and how you are taking care of your teeth including how often you brush. Twice a day brushing for two minutes each time is ideal," says Dr Hamish de Silva Borelessa, Tipu Ora's senior dentist.
"Avoiding sugary drinks and switching to water can have a big impact on your teeth and gums. Regular check-ups are also important to making sure that any problems with your teeth and gums are picked up early."
"Good oral health leads to good general health and well-being," he says. "Tipu Ora's dental service is an important part of a wider range of health services."
Tipu Ora has been providing a range of community-based health, social and education services to all families in Rotorua and surrounding areas for more than 25 years. It is part of a bigger organisation, Manaaki Ora Trust, which also delivers alcohol and other drug counselling services through Te Utuhina Manaakitanga.
Access to services
Tipu Ora has developed a concept of a single point of entry for all clients to access their services.
The Referral Hub aims is to ensure that all clients are managed in an integrated and collaborative environment.
"When you walk through the door or contact us at Tipu Ora we will respond to your needs in a quick and friendly way," Raewyn Bourne, Executive Manager says. "We provide an 0800 number and remove any barriers to access. This has been our approach to ensure that our clients get the best quality of care when they need it, at the right moment."
This approach ensures that clients receive a continuum of care according to their needs, over time and across a range of Tipu Ora's services.
Centres of excellence
Tipu Ora's team at Kia Puawai at Western Heights Health Centre were recently recognised by the Lakes District Health Board (DHB) and received the Nursing/Midwifery Innovation Annual Award for 2016.
They were commended for their empathy for the service users and their whānau, their ability to problem solve and their high level of professionalism. The service aims to provide support for parents and primary maternity care, early parenting and well child health services.
Other services include Well Child Tamariki Ora, Health Promotion, Family Start, Teenage Parent services and a training division providing Certificate and Diplomas in Hauora Māori.
A new regional Stop Smoking service
Tipu Ora will deliver Stop Smoking services across the Lakes region and is the preferred provider for a new contract established by the Ministry of Health.
"This is part of the national drive to achieve the health target of Smokefree Aotearoa 2025," Raewyn Bourne says. "We are immensely proud that we have been selected to help achieve this aspirational goal of a smokefree nation by 2025."
"The Lakes DHB region has a higher number of smokers than those in other regions. We are looking forward to helping to enable people to quit smoking as it is so important for whānau and tamariki, families and young children, to have every chance to enjoy good health which stopping smoking will help to achieve," shesays.
Into the future
Tipu Ora's commitment to the community it serves is long standing and available to all. The mission for Manaaki Ora Trust under which Tipu Ora sits is 'We are proudly hauora Māori making a positive difference to family wellbeing'.