Oral health check-up for children can be less stressful and more friendly following the opening of a new children’s cubicle at the dental clinic in Tupapa.

The “Baby Teeth Matters”, a collaboration between Te Marae Ora (TMO) Ministry of Health and Bank of the South Pacific (BSP), was officially opened on Friday last week.

During its opening, Health secretary Bob Williams and BSP country manager David Street signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for further oral health projects with the ministry.

According to TMO, the children dental clinic is the first of its kind in the Cook Islands – one that would accommodate children in a friendly environment.

TMO says the joint initiative is aimed at improving oral health and wellbeing of mothers and young children, contributing to saving teeth for a lifetime and improving quality of life for the people of the Cook Islands. 

Street said the initiative was conceived six months ago when they were going through ideas for a community project.

He said the project was more than a sponsorship as community projects involved planning and ensuring it would benefit the community.

Minister for Health Rose Toki-Brown acknowledged BSP’s support.

Similar initiatives are being planned to be rolled out for the Pa Enua through Ministry of Health and BSP’s joint community projects in future.