While increases in personal income over the period 2008 to 2023 have largely kept pace with the rising cost of dental treatments in New Zealand, Māori and Pacific individuals need to spend a higher proportion of their weekly income to access the same treatment as New Zealand Europeans. These were the findings of a study which surveyed dentists and reviewed earnings and personal income data from Statistics New Zealand and New Zealand Official Yearbooks. For the five dental treatments with data available from 1978 to 2023, fees increased by 75% to 236%, while earnings increased by 46%. The overall increase in personal income from 2008 to 2023 (approximately 21%) was enough to counter the increased cost of most dental treatments. However, in 2023, Māori and Pacific individuals needed to spend 16% and 23% more of their weekly income, respectively, than New Zealand Europeans to receive the same dental treatments.
