Eric RooneyConsultant in Dental Public Health, PHEDeputy Chief Dental Officer NHS England

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

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

BrandAligned to

branding

Brand Quality Mark

Only applied where information is underpinned by Delivering Better Oral Health

BrandRecognised throughout Cumbria and Lancashire…

…and shared with national/ international colleagues

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

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

Products Programme Workbook

Supports the gathering of evidence for: Healthy Eating ~ Regular Toothbrushing ~

Healthy Lifestyles ~ Accessing NHS dentistry

Products Smile4Life Award Scheme…

incentivised by awardsSupporting 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…

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

Products Web based

All the supporting information has been developed for an 8 year old reading level where possible

Web based

Products Smile4Life Films

BASCD Oral Health Promotion Research Prize 2015

Products Smile4Life e-Learning Tool• To support children’s workforce development

an e-learning tool was developed

http://cypvle.lancsngfl.ac.uk

Products Smile4Life Toothpaste PackThe 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

Products Toothbrushing in School SchemeEach 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

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

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

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

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

eric.rooney@phe.gov.uk