Who will make it on to the New Year Honours List this year?
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Barbara Dewson
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to dental and oral health therapy
Barbara Dewson has been recognised for her contributions to dental therapy, being made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the New Year Honours.
The Whanganui woman trained at the Wellington Dental School before starting her first job as a school dental nurse in Ohakune.
In recent years, she has been the clinical manager of oral health for the Whanganui District Health Board and continues to work as advisory manager with Te Whatu Ora Whanganui.
“I feel fortunate to have worked for so long in an area I enjoy so much,” Dewson said.
“There has never been a time when I felt like I wanted to do something else and I’ve always enjoyed going to work.”
Dewson served as the supervising dental nurse for the Whanganui district from 1983 until 1994 before becoming the dental manager for Good Health Whanganui Hospital and Community.
She initiated two community dental projects for free dental health care for adults at Rātana Pā and in Ohakune.
“I can’t speak for other places but for the Whanganui district, I believe we developed a service that really worked,” Dewson said.
“Providing a mobile service for families who had difficulties in getting children to us was the right way to do it.”
Dewson was treasurer of the New Zealand Dental Therapists’ Association and editor of New Zealand Dental Journal for 12 years.
In 2002, she contributed to developing the dental therapist competencies for dental therapist practice in preparation for the registration of dental therapists in 2003.
Following registration, she was chairwoman of the dental council’s Dental Therapy Board for nine years and, more recently, has provided dental and oral health therapy professional advice.
Barbara Dewson, of Wanganui, has been recognised for services to oral health, as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours for 2024. Photo / Mike Dewson
In 2009, she assisted in redesigning the Whanganui School Dental Service (now the Community Oral Health Service).
In particular, she redesigned the mobile dental facilities offered in schools by the DHB.
Dewson received the Dental Therapist of the Year award in 2016 and she has been treasurer of the New Zealand Community Oral Health Services Society for 13 years.
She has been honoured with life membership of the New Zealand Dental and Oral Health Therapists’ Association.
