Health Minister Tony Ryall has officially opened the last of seven hub dental clinics in the Bay of Plenty, with a ribbon cutting ceremony at Otumoetai Primary School.

The Otumoetai Community Dental Clinic will service around 4700 primary and pre-school children.

Minister of Health Tony Ryall testing out the new equipment on Tauranga MP Simon Bridges.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, Bay of Plenty District Health Board chairperson Sally Webb and Bay of Plenty District Health Board CEO Phil Cammish were present for the opening, along with Otumoetai School principal Geoff Opie and Board of Trustees chair James Low.

Tony says the opening of the clinic is part of the DHB's $6.5 million investment to revitalise dental health services and facilities. Also added are 11 new mobile clinics.

Tony Ryall, Alfie Freeman, Taya Nicholson, Simon Bridges and Sally Webb cutting the ribbon.

'Oral health is important,” says Tony.

'Half of children don't have tooth decay, but that doesn't bode well for the other half.”

Bay of Plenty District Health Board communications manager Diana Marriot says the oral health status of children in the district is historically one of the lowest in New Zealand.

'The Bay of Plenty has one of the highest rates of missing and filled teeth, and the lowest rates of caries free in New Zealand, for both five year olds and 12-year-old children.”