Our focus is on reducing tooth decay among the most vulnerable parts of our community by intervention and education. We already support around 4,000 children a year in primary schools, family hubs and nurseries with toothbrushing clubs, fluoride varnishing and fun oral health education.
They really look forward to our visits and Brighter Smiles is demonstrating that by keeping Cornish children’s smiles bright it not only improves their oral health but helps to develop their confidence. See the impact of our prevention activities at https://smiletogether.co.uk/our-achievements/
As clinically evidenced by Scotland’s Child Smile, our campaign focus upon nursery and reception children will reduce tooth extractions amongst children by at least 25% and we’re already beginning to see this in the educational environments we’ve been visiting since our programme began – this has to be something worth supporting!
Our campaign costs us around £10 per pupil which is below similar prevention initiatives elsewhere in the country – for example, CDS in Bedfordshire estimate £10 per child for toothbrushing clubs only, and Teeth Team (covering Hull and Yorkshire) estimate £14 per child for their equivalent child dental health improvement initiative – demonstrating great value for money here in Cornwall! Help us reach more Cornish children.