A national programme to improve dental health through better co-ordinated care Day One, Pop-up University 7, 16.00

1. Eric Rooney
Consultant in Dental Public Health, PHE
Deputy Chief Dental Officer NHS England

2. Background
• The dental health of children in Cumbria and
Lancashire has been generally worse than many
other parts of England
• Delivery of oral health improvement messages was
variable and the environment was not universally
supportive of good oral health
• Oral Health was identified as a Local Indicator in the
Local Area Agreement and in the Lancashire’s
Children and Young People’s Plan in 2009 – 2012

3. Background
• Smile4Life was developed in partnership with local
authorities across Cumbria and Lancashire to embed
oral health improvement in children’s settings
• It is mandated within children’s social care settings
and oral health improvement service provider
specifications
• The aim is to reduce dental caries in children and lay
solid foundations for good oral health throughout life

4. Brand
Aligned to
branding

5. Brand
Used consistently across all products…

6. Brand
Quality Mark
Only applied where information is underpinned by
Delivering Better Oral Health

7. Brand
Recognised throughout Cumbria and
Lancashire…
…and shared with national/
international colleagues

8. Smile4Life Programme
• Focuses on creating supportive oral health
environments and sustained behaviour change
• Uses staff working in settings where children and
families use services in addition to dental practices
• Involves developing the wider workforce and
establishing setting based oral health champions to
deliver the programme with NHS support
• Supports Local Authorities in the implementation of
Commissioning Better Oral Health
• Uses consistent evidence based messages based on
Delivering Better Oral Health

9. Products
Smile4Life Implementation Training
• The programme adopts a cascade training model to
enable the local workforce to deliver these messages
within settings, making every contact count, to ensure
all children have the best start in life

10. Products
Programme Workbook
Supports the gathering of evidence for:
Healthy Eating ~ Regular Toothbrushing ~
Healthy Lifestyles ~ Accessing NHS dentistry

11. Products
Smile4Life Award Scheme…
incentivised by awards
Supporting the settings to achieve the 4 awards provides
evidence that they have created environments that
support oral health improvement but it doesn’t stop
there…

12. Products
A suite of supporting resources:
• Posters
• Leaflets
• Supporting Information*:
• Healthy Eating
• Regular Toothbrushing
• Healthy Lifestyles
• Accessing NHS Dentistry
• Fluoride Varnish Application
*Supporting information is underpinned by Delivering Better Oral Health
and/or aligned to Change4Life

13. Products
Web based
All the supporting information has been developed for an 8
year old reading level where possible

14. Web based

15. Products
Smile4Life Films
BASCD Oral Health Promotion Research Prize 2015

16. Products
Smile4Life e-Learning Tool
• To support children’s workforce development an e-
learning tool was developed
http://cypvle.lancsngfl.ac.uk

17. Products
Smile4Life Toothpaste Pack
The toothpaste and brush packs are given out as part of
the Healthy Child Programme and contain a Smile4Life
leaflet and the Health Visitors all receive Smile4Life
training

18. Products
Toothbrushing in School Scheme
Each school participating in the toothbrushing scheme
nominates an Oral Health Champion who receives
Smile4Life training and resources
The children receive a Smile4Life leaflet with their first
toothbrush and a Smile4Life individual toothbrush holder

19. Workforce Development
Practice Based Prevention and Fluoride
Varnish Application Course
• To support the more rural parts of Cumbria dental nurses
are trained in the promotion of oral health and the clinical
skills relating to the
application of fluoride varnish
• To date, 70 dental nurses
have successfully
completed the course
Julie King, Cumbria LDN Chair
Michelle Lancaster, Student
Colin Cox, Director of Public Health

20. Outcomes
• To date:
• 397 Oral Health Champions (setting-based staff) have
been trained to support the implementation of the
programme
• 70 Dental Nurses trained to support prevention
• 123 Children Centres and 264 early years settings are
implementing the programme reaching in excess of
130,000 0-5 year olds and their family members
• 1142 awards have been achieved of which…
• 271 settings have achieved all four awards
• 21,700 toothpaste packs delivered
• 284 children in Barrow Brushing Scheme

21. Moving forward…
A suite of tools:
• Smile4Life e-learning tool for the adult/carer
workforce
• Smile4Life Vulnerable Adult Programme
• Web-based support for the Practice Based
Prevention Course

22. Added value…
No geographic specific content
Can be used by anyone ~ anywhere
Can be used to support Best Start in Life, the Healthy
Child Programme and other early interventions with
regards to oral health

23. eric.rooney@phe.gov.uk