Why no mandatory dental treatment in aged care?

The Dental Association is calling for basic dental care to become mandatory at aged care facilities to stop what's being described as a 'quiet elder crisis' from developing. Currently dental care is excluded from agreements between DHBs and aged care providers, meaning it's left up to individual rest homes to manage residents' oral hygiene. According to the Dental Association that means some residents can go for years without anyone looking at their teeth, which can lead to disastrous health outcomes. Bill O'Connor is the Dental Association president and a Palmerston North dentist.