The dental sector isn't immune from challenges to Aotearoa's health workforce

The Dental Association's new survey reveals dental care's mostly accessible - but vacancies take weeks for clinics to fill, especially in rural locations.

On average, dentist roles take 24 weeks to fill and hygienist roles 33 weeks.

President David Excell says we've had just 60 training places at Otago University, our only dental school, for over four decades.

He says the association's been advocating for that cap to be lifted - and for New Zealand to train more dentists for our population.