Dental Assistant/Whanau OH Navigator

Whānau Oral Health Navigator

Full-time – Permanent

Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS)

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand

ARDS is a regional service that provides modern clinically sound dental care to more than 280,000 tamariki across the wider Auckland-metro area. Our Community Outreach Team has a focus on building partnerships with communities and schools to uplift whānau wellbeing by focusing on better oral health outcomes for all children. 

We’re looking for a Whānau Oral Health Navigator to join our friendly, supportive team.

In this role, you’ll help strengthen whānau engagement, reduce the barriers that Māori and Pacific tamariki face when accessing dental care, and support them throughout their oral health journey.

This position is grounded in mana‑enhancing, culturally safe practice and making a difference to the well-being of tamariki and their whānau.

As a Whānau Oral Health Navigator, you will be:

• Building trusting, culturally grounded relationships so whānau feel confident and supported when accessing oral health care.
• Giving practical, whānau‑centred support — helping with appointments, transport, advocacy, and sharing information in a way that’s clear, respectful, and culturally responsive.
• Coordinating personalised care that upholds dignity and creates positive experiences for tamariki, rangatahi, and their whānau.
• Working closely with ARDS teams, schools, kura, marae, community groups, and other services to make sure care is easy to access and well‑connected across Tāmaki Makaurau.
• Noticing and recording the barriers whānau face, using your insights to help improve services and strengthen equity.

What you will need in your kete of knowledge:

• Strong cultural capability and deep understanding of Māori or Pacific communities, with proven experience supporting whānau — especially tamariki and rangatahi — through community engagement, facilitation, or navigation roles.
• Ability to build genuine relationships across education, health, and community settings, with insight into the social, cultural, and systemic factors that shape access to care, and a commitment to equity, cultural safety, and mana‑enhancing practice.

Desired (but not essential):

• Experience in health promotion, oral health, education, community services, or hauora roles.
• Understanding of oral health pathways or community development approaches.
• Previous experience in Māori or Pacific health initiatives.

Why join us?

This is a meaningful opportunity to:

• Help make oral health care welcoming and safe for our tamariki, and their whānau
• Use your voice and experience to reduce barriers for Māori and Pacific tamariki
• Be part of a supportive team that cares about whānau and community wellbeing
• Make a real impact across Tāmaki Makaurau
• Support whānau‑led pathways and strengthen ARDS’ commitment to equity and Te Tiriti

Working at Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora

Health NZ is committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and embedding practices that uphold mana motuhake, equity, and culturally grounded care. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

You can view the full Position Description here.

To submit your application, click Apply Now; if you would like to kōrero about this role, please contact:

Dianne Houston, ARDS Community Development and Planning Manager Dianne.Houston@waitematadhb.govt.nz

For general recruitment queries, please contact Lissa Crook, Recruitment Consultant on lissa.crook@tewhatuora.govt.nz

Applications close on: 30 March 2026

Reference: WDHB21100