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Advocate for the optimal local delivery of the Designed to Smile programme in nurseries and schools

  • Designed to Smile is the national oral health improvement programme for children in Wales; it is underpinned by WHC/2017/23 and aims to help start good habits early by giving advice to families with young children, providing toothbrushes and toothpaste, and encouraging going to a dental practice before a child’s first birthday.
  • Designed to Smile delivers supervised toothbrushing programmes and fluoride varnish programmes in nurseries and primary schools across Wales.
  • NICE guidance Oral health: local authorities and partners (PH55) recommends supervised toothbrushing schemes for nurseries and primary schools in areas where children are at high risk of poor oral health; fluoride varnish programmes for nurseries and primary schools in areas where children are at high risk of poor oral health; raising awareness of the importance of oral health, as part of a 'whole-school' approach in all primary schools; and introducing specific schemes to improve and protect oral health in primary schools in areas where children are at high risk of poor oral health.