Dental practices across Salford are sign up to become more family friendly, as part of a new scheme to improve children’s oral health.
With Salford having one of the worst rates for children’s tooth extractions in Greater Manchester, Salford’s Start Well Communication Group, a collaboration of organisations including NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Salford City Council, has launched the new scheme to help tackle the issue.
The Salford Family Friendly Dental Practice scheme launches on Monday, July 29 andwill see participating dental practices pledge to provide appointments at more convenient times for families, such as after school and during school holidays, and allow all family members to register at the same practice. These were some of the barriers disclosed during engagement which took place with parents and children.
One of the biggest issues revealed by both children and parents was fear and therefore, as part of the scheme, dentists will create at least one child-friendly room including toys, stickers and wall art. Each participating practice will host an annual open day for families to come along, look around and meet the staff to ease fear.
Dr Wan-Ley Yeung, Salford CCG’s Clinical Lead for Children and Young People, said: “This is a great scheme to highlight the importance of good oral health in children and to break down the barriers families face when visiting the dentist and hope this will increase the number of dental check across the city and improve the health of young people’s teeth.”
Councillor Gina Reynolds, Lead Member for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing at Salford City Council, said: “In Salford we are determined to do all we can to help children get the best start in life. I’m extremely proud this scheme has been launched and hope more dentists sign up to help children – the future of this amazing city.”
Dr Adi Uzvolk, principal dentist at Swinton Dental Centre, said: “We’re really proud that we’ll to be the first dental practice to sign up to this brilliant new initiative”.
