Childsmile delivers a range of preventive care for children in nursery and primary school who are at increased risk of dental disease.
Childsmile programmes delivered in nursery and school include provision of:
- Daily, supervised Toothbrushing Programmes in all nurseries and priority schools
- Fluoride varnish applications to children’s teeth, twice a year, in priority nurseries and schools
- Advice and information for parents and carers to help them care for their child’s teeth
- Free dental packs with toothbrush and toothpaste.
Targeting oral health inequalities: priority nurseries and schools
Nurseries and schools participating in Childsmile Fluoride Varnish and Childsmile Toothbrushing Programmes, are selected on the basis of the proportion of children attending the establishment who live in areas of relative disadvantage. Childsmile uses the definition from the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) to prioritise these areas.
Role of Education staff
Nursery and school staff and the local Childsmile team work together to ensure that:
- the supervised Toothbrushing Programme is delivered as part of the daily routine
- a suitable space is available for the Childsmile team to provide interventions to children
- a family struggling to get a child to brush their teeth have appropriate support
- families are informed about Childsmile locally.