After work last Tuesday, Hannah and Jo headed off from SpaDental Whitchurch to attend a conference. Organised by the Local Dental Network for Shropshire and Staffordshire, it was held at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. The key focus of the evening’s lecture by Ms Kate Taylor-Weetman was on the Starting Well Check by 1 initiative.
Hannah Parsonage – practice manager at SpaDental Whitchurch
Dental checks are essential.
Hannah explained, “We are being asked to publicise even more the availability of NHS dental checks for children under two years old. The NHS is increasing funding for this target age range in our area. Currently, only 12% of under 2 year old’s in Shropshire see a dentist. Yet tooth decay is the main reason why children under 5 have general anaesthetic. Local dental practices need to send a clear message to the parents of young children. No child is ever too young to visit the dentist!”
Early visits to the dentist are vital for children to:
- learn how to prevent tooth decay
- become acclimatised to dental visits
- begin a positive lifelong relationship with NHS dentistry
Raising awareness includes asking questions about a child’s oral health:
An oral assessment will include:
- noting who the child attended the appointment with
- asking about feeding routines (for example: Does the infant use a sippy cup or a bottle? What does the child usually drink?)
- learning who brushes the child’s teeth and when
- advising the reduction of sugar and the use of sugar-free medicines
Jo Roberts of SpaDental Whitchurch
What is SpaDental Whitchurch doing to help children?
Since becoming the practice manager at SpaDental Whitchurch, Hannah has already reached out to local nursery and primary schools. With Jo’s background in education too, they’re a great team for delivering a positive message to children and families about the importance of dental care.
We schedule Children’s Days during half-terms and holidays. On these days we give special attention to children so they feel comfortable and relaxed when they come for a check-up in the surgery.