Oral Health Therapist

• We are looking to mentor the next generation of Oral Health Therapists into employment here with us at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
• Highly experienced team with plenty of variety that you won't see in private practice
• Hours are Monday - Friday 0800 -1700
• Locations are across North Canterbury, Canterbury and South Canterbury
  

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the Role

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Waitaha Community Dental Service provides dental services to nearly 90,000 children aged 0-13 in Canterbury and South Canterbury and supports our colleagues on the West Coast. There are 110 front-line clinical staff who work with modern equipment in 22 mobile dental units and 13 dental clinics.

We currently have permanent opportunities working in Christchurch, North, and South Canterbury areas, please indicate your preference in your cover letter! If appointed to work in South Canterbury you can apply for the Te Whatu Ora Voluntary Bonding Scheme, for more information click on this link: Voluntary Bonding Scheme – Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand

You’ll be working in community and school settings with children and their families/whānau and have the opportunity to work with diverse patient groups, managing a wide variety of oral health problems. You will be a reflective practitioner who embraces innovation and advances in clinical practice and will enjoy working in a team alongside other skilled dental/oral health therapists and assistants. 

Full and Part time permanent positions available.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Providing high quality oral health care appropriate to the physical, social and cultural needs of pre-school and school age clients;
• Attending meetings, in-service training and courses relevant to the needs of the service and individual Dental/Oral Health Therapist;
• Participating in team meetings and the service quality improvement process.

About You

We are seeking dedicated Oral Health Therapists with a passion for delivering high-quality patient care and a strong focus on teamwork and innovation. The ideal candidate will have previous dental experience and be familiar with Titanium or similar electronic patient management systems. However if you are a New Zealand registered Oral Health Therapist and hold a current Annual Practicing Certificate we want to hear from you! We are also seeking candidates who are:

• Team player, with excellent communication skills
• Highly organised with meticulous attention to detail
• Proficient computer skills
• Innovative, proactive and adaptable
• Hold a full clean NZ drivers licence
• Competency with te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori or a commitment to starting your journey and taking ownership of your learning and growth 
• Current Annual Practising Certificate in Dental/Oral Health Therapy

Working for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellnesses. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Equity Work Programme at Health NZ focuses on helping everyone in the health system think about equity when they do their work. It also promotes the cultural change needed for the whole system to reach equity in health outcomes.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We want to see the real you in your application and welcome the real you on board if you come and work with us. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just in formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the ad, but the experience was gained through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.

We particularly welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Alex Jay at Alexandra.jay@tewhatuora.govt.nz