This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scheme to keep children smiling
14/09/2006
A new scheme to improve child oral health and ensure more children visit a dentist was launched today.
The Childsmile (West) project will ensure children in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire & Arran at the greatest risk of tooth decay get access to oral health services from birth.
In the programme area, health visitors will refer all newborn children in the programme area assessed as being at increased risk of tooth decay into the scheme.
Their parents will be given advice and support on promoting good dental health by community support workers, and children will be given appointments with local dentists for regular care.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"Childsmile is about the prevention of tooth decay from birth.
"We have already made great strides in improving children's oral health in Scotland. Fewer children than ever before now have tooth decay at the age of five.
"And tooth brushing schemes across Scotland are working well, with 90,000 nursery age children now participating.
"Childsmile will build on these improvements and reinforce the message that good diet, effective regular tooth brushing and regular visits to the dentist are the keys to improving children's oral health.
"We know that by the time many parents of pre-school children take them along to the dentist it is often too late and Childsmile aims to address this and ensure children are seen before oral disease appears.
"It is during infancy and early childhood that the foundations for good oral health are established. Childsmile will ensure that information and support about good oral health starts from the moment children are born."
A total of 73 dental practices in the west of Scotland are signed up to the scheme, which will be evaluated over three years and rolled out across the rest of the country.
The programme has now commenced, with the first infants having been seen by community support workers and referred to dental practices for preventive advice and care.
90 dental nurses have also received training for Childsmile, which supports children up to the age of five.
Professor Lorna Macpherson, Director of Childsmile (West), said:
"Childsmile (West) provides a wonderful opportunity to improve the oral health of young children in Scotland. It provides a clear care pathway for young children to follow, through enhancing work between health visitors, dental practices and other members of the primary health care team.
"We hope this new programme will result in the adoption from a young age of healthy behaviours, including diet, which will continue throughout life and should benefit not only dental but also general health."