Super troopers attack tooth decay

Major Suzanne Halligan, of the New Zealand Defence Force dental personnel, as the group promoted dental hygiene in the Far North. Photo / Supplied

The New Zealand Defence Force has just had to battle a fairly inaccessible and very secretive foe and came out on top after spending two weeks treating the dental needs of Far North residents.

The army came and, like knights in shining armour, boosted the oral health of almost 750 high-need Far North residents.

In partnership with the Northland DHB oral health service, a team of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) dental personnel and health promotion personnel set up base in October at Kaitaia Hospital.

The free service, a NZDF training exercise called Exercise Wisdom Tooth, was aimed at those who hold community service cards. They were referred by their doctors, Kaitaia Community Link and private dentists and came from as far away as Whangaroa, Pangaru, Okaihau, Te Kao and Te Hapua.

During the two-week exercise, the dental team packed in 750 consultations and over 2000 treatments - including clean and scale, fillings, x-rays and extractions.

An integral part of Exercise Wisdom Tooth was a roadshow visiting eight schools in the Far North. Also in the vanguard of that health promotion drive was an army assault course team activity to thrill the pupils.

NDHB Child, Youth, Maternal Oral & Public Health general manager Jeanette Wedding described the visit as a "humbling experience" and considered it one of the major successes for the health board this year.

"It is clear that, for this group of the population, this has been a life-changing moment. To see people free from pain, corrective work done on their teeth, restored teeth that enabled some not to be ashamed of smiling or talking, the commitment from them to look after their teeth and to ensure their children would too was humbling."

Exercise Wisdom Tooth is designed to increase NZDF dental treatment provision while on military exercises in the Pacific region.

Major Suzanne Halligan said the NZDF works with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide regular aid missions in the Western Pacific Region for those in need.