A free dental check program for public schools across NSW is celebrating its 1,000th public school visit this week.
Around 300,000 public school students have been offered the NSW Health Primary School Mobile Dental Program since it began in 2019 with three local health districts added to the program in 2023.
New districts added include Far West, Northern NSW and Illawarra Shoalhaven LHDs which have collectively visited 38 schools, providing checks for almost 2,400 kids since being added to the program last year.
The mobile dental clinics visit participating primary schools across 11 Local Health Districts and provide on-site dental check-ups, cleans, x-rays and other preventive treatments, as well as education on good oral hygiene practices.
“Oral health care is a crucial part of being and staying healthy and these mobile dental clinics make it easier for families to receive essential check-ups,” said Minister for Health, Ryan Park.
“Expanding this program to more parts of NSW provides more children with free, school-based dental care, helping families who don’t have easy access to private dental care.
“This is an important and exciting milestone to celebrate, and I want to thank everyone who has been a part of the 1000 school visits and offered free dental care to more than 300,000 children.”
The initiative not only addresses immediate dental needs but also equips children with the knowledge to maintain their oral health.
If a child needs follow-up dental care, public dental service staff will contact parents and carers to discuss options for treatment, which may include further treatment at the school or a local dental clinic.
“We were thrilled to have the NSW Dental Vans visit our school,” said Principal, Farmborough Road Public School Principal, Michelle Wells.
“For our students, it’s so important to get their teeth checked and learn about how to best look after their gorgeous smiles. For our parents, it was something they could tick off their list without worry, knowing their child’s dental health had been checked at school.
“This is an excellent initiative that makes a genuine difference in the lives of our students and their families.”
