A charity-run dental clinic in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton is pleading for stolen equipment to be returned after its mobile caravan clinic was ransacked last week.
Volunteer endodontist Dr Assil Russell told Newshub the team at Revive a Smile is "devastated" by the burglary.
"They pretty much gutted the place," she said.
"This means that hundreds of patients will miss out on much-needed dental care."
Revive a Smile's team of volunteers provide free dental care to the homeless, the elderly, migrants, and other low-income adults.
The charity's mobile caravan-trailer had been operating in the community for years - until last week.
Dr Russell said the thieves will "really struggle" to sell the items taken, because they're unique to dentistry.
"I don't know who they're going to sell them to.
"The only people that will use them are dentists, and dentists in New Zealand don't buy second-hand equipment and instruments from Marketplace and Trade Me."
She said the items stolen are largely worthless on the black market.
"A lot of the things that they've taken, they'll probably just end up throwing in the rubbish because they won't be able to get anything for them."
Dr Russell said the burglary has set the clinic back months.
"It's going to take us a considerable amount of time to be able to restock and repurchase so that we can be up and running again," she said.
"It's not like we can just go down to Noel Leeming and buy everything again."
Detective Sergeant Matthew Lee of the Waikato Tactical Crime Unit said police are reviewing CCTV footage, examining the scene, and speaking with victims.
"A large quantity of items have been stolen, including laptops, X-ray devices, an AED7000 defibrillator, medication, dental drills, laptops and other medical equipment," he added.
The dental caravan was parked inside a school grounds on Bankwood Rd in Chartwell when it was targeted.
Det Sgt Lee said police are working hard to get the items back and track down those responsible.
"Police are asking anyone who saw suspicious activity on or near the Bankwood Road, Chartwell school between Monday 8 April and Wednesday 10 April, or has any information that may assist in our investigation to contact Police."
The public can call police on 105, or go online here and reference file number 240422/2595. People can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
