A government-imposed cap on dental school admissions is contributing to workforce shortages across New Zealand, according to an oral health expert.
The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) said clinics are struggling to fill vacancies, with many operating short-staffed for months. Its Fees and Dental Workforce Survey 2025, based on responses from nearly 500 members, found widespread delays in recruitment and growing pressure on dental services nationwide.
On average, clinics take 24 weeks to hire a dentist, while one in four roles remains unfilled for more than 40 weeks. In regional areas, vacancies can take close to a year—or longer—to fill.
The impact is particularly severe in underserved communities. A recent free pop-up clinic in Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay, was overwhelmed with demand after the town went five years without a full-time dentist.
Three-quarters of surveyed dentists work in small practices with three or fewer practitioners, highlighting the limited capacity across the sector.
NZDA director of dental policy Dr Robin Whyman said the shortage stems from a long-standing cap on domestic dental student intake at the University of Otago, the country’s only dental school.
“The number of dentists trained in New Zealand hasn’t increased significantly since the 1980s,” Whyman said. “The current cap is 60 students per year, which is no longer sufficient for a population that has grown from just over 3 million to more than 5 million.”
The cap was last raised in 2014, when the government increased annual intake from 54 to 60 students—the first change in more than 50 years.
NZDA president Dr Dave Excell warned that ongoing shortages are placing strain on both patients and dental teams.
“Clinics are doing everything they can to maintain services, but prolonged vacancies stretch staff and lead to longer wait times,” he said.
He added that the issue goes beyond staffing numbers, affecting access to consistent care.
“Communities need reliable, ongoing dental services—not temporary solutions. Without a stable workforce, access becomes increasingly fragile,” Excell said.