KEY POINTS:
A visit to the dentist could be a little more palatable if it was taxpayer-subsidised as in a plan suggested by Jim Anderton's Progressive Party.
Mr Anderton says cheaper dental care will be its priority this election.
He said costs such as $400 to fix a sore tooth were "prohibitive" and he wants to make it more affordable - such as subsidising dental visits in the same way as visits to the GP.
Mr Anderton called it a "sleeper problem" and said sorting it out would be a key part of any coalition agreement with Labour should it win the election.
He said he would today visit Middlemore Hospital "where people queue up from five in the morning to get their teeth extracted because they can't afford to go to the dentist".
"I know what my own teeth have cost, and I've had the luxury of being able to look after them. I've still got my own teeth, but in recent times it has cost me a fortune. How on Earth on a low income would you be able to afford that?"
Mr Anderton said he received a standing ovation from the Nurses Association after raising the idea.
"Nurses know the state of health of people's teeth is a real problem."
Mr Anderton, the Associate Health Minister, said he would like dental care to be part of the primary healthcare strategy.
He also signalled there could be some sort of grant to cover dental care.
The Progressives' preferred option is for subsidised visits, starting with those who cannot afford it and then rolled out so the price comes down for everyone.
The party also wants to investigate "dental therapists" like those in school dental clinics, and a government-subsidised dental insurance.
But Mr Anderton did not know exactly how it would be delivered, saying he wanted to consult the experts, such as Prime Minister Helen Clark's husband Professor Peter Davis, an expert in medical sociology.
"You've got to have the co-operation of the health professionals, so it's no use coming out with something they believe is not productive.
"What I'm doing is putting dental care on the policy agenda. Nobody else has ever done it."
