Oral health is an important part of general health and wellbeing. 

It has increasingly been seen as a vital part of Canterbury and West Coast DHB service planning, and children’s oral health measures now sit under a number of areas reported to the Ministry of Health.

The primary function of the SDG is to provide strategic leadership, direction and advice for oral health services across Canterbury and West Coast health systems. This includes:

• Developing and overseeing a strategic oral health plan for Canterbury and the West Coast that sets the direction for improved access to oral health services to enable improved outcomes for target populations;
• Facilitating system level co-design which aims to reduce inequalities in oral health; 
• Optimising prevention/maintenance of good oral health;Improving early intervention in individuals and populations who are likely to have poor oral health outcomes;
• Developing strong linkages and synergies with other relevant groups/sectors.

For the past three years the Canterbury and West Coast DHBs have had a joint Transalpine Oral Health Steering Group.  

Following a number of workshops in 2017, a need for a more structure approach, under the CCN banner was identified. So in March 2018 an Oral health Service Development Group (SDG) was established.