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1,500 free tooth appointments delivered to children without NHS dentist
Students at Bristol Dental School have delivered 1,500 free appointments for children without access to an NHS dentist.
The institution has been working with eight local schools across Lawrence Hill, Easton and St George.
Representatives meet parents at the school gate and tell them about the services on offer from the dental school. Parents can then refer children for a free appointment undertaken by a supervised dental student.
Bristol faces particular challenges in tooth health. Only five of the city’s 49 dental surgeries are accepting NHS patients for routine check-ups, and there are often waiting list times of over a year.
Rates for tooth extraction for five- to nine-year-olds is nearly 50 per cent higher locally than the national average, with the numbers particularly high in less affluent wards.
That all adds up to 18,000 school days lost each year to dental health problems.
The Bristol Dental School moved to Trinity Quay recently
Kevin Hawkins, headteacher at Hannah More Primary School, said: “The sign-up rate has been fantastic. More than 50 families connected to the school have already benefited.
“There are now fewer reasons for them not to attend, and they are less likely to get to the point where they’re off school for longer.
Children at the school, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds or asylum-seeking families, often don’t have access to dental care.
“One Year Two child had really been struggling with toothache and ulcers, but the dental school’s work has made them much more comfortable and able to learn,” Hawkins said.
All photos: University of Bristol
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