The union held meetings with its 30 dental therapist members in Otago recently, as part of a nationwide meetings tour to discuss the new arrangements, which are being introduced as part of the Ministry of Health oral health strategy.
Under the change, about $5 million will be spent over three years on eight fixed clinics in Otago and two mobile clinics touring 17 sites.
Details of all the sites are yet to be announced.
The new set-up will replace the existing 85 dental chairs in about 60 clinics, with the changes beginning next year.
"Four-handed dentistry", where each therapist has a chairside assistant, will be practised under the new plan, unlike the existing situation where therapists generally work alone.
Ms Morton said the therapists' collective agreement would expire next year and, although wage rates across the country were consistent, there were myriad variations in the conditions which applied in the various areas run by district health boards.
In Otago, for instance, therapists did not practise during school holidays and nor did they usually continue working after school hours.
However, in Southland nurses were already working during school holidays.
The association was waiting on the Otago District Health Board to initiate discussion on the matter.
From the members' perspective, it was important the changes were not seen as an opportunity to strip away existing terms and conditions, she said.
