Childsmile fun and games over the summer

Our ‘summer of smiles’ is about to take place in dental clinics all over the Western Isles as Childsmile returns to the Western Isles.

‘Childsmile Week’ will be held from 3rd-29th July on Lewis, Harris, Uists and Barra, where children will be encouraged to visit dentists and dental care professionals, starting in the Western Isles Dental Centre and Barra Dental Clinic. ‘Childsmile Week’ has become a firm tradition in the summer as children flock to their local dental clinic to take part in the fun. With appointments specifically for kids, they will have the opportunity to get their teeth checked and enjoy the fun in the brightly decorated dental clinics.
Children will also have the opportunity to participate in games, dress up as a dentist or tooth fairy and enter competitions, whilst learning about the key messages of maintaining good oral health for the rest of their lives. Reception areas will be transformed into a summer wonderland with toys and games to play with. Every day there will be prizes which include electric toothbrushes and toys, with every child receiving a goody bag.
Colin Robertson, NHS Western Isles Interim Chief Administrative Dental Officer, commented “Children from all over the islands regularly attend and enjoy our summer ‘Childsmile Weeks’. There are many challenges in the dental care of young children and this preventative approach has proved enormously successful in the Western Isles. “Staff throughout all the Western Isles dental clinics have worked hard to carry out toothbrushing, fluoride varnishing and oral health interventions. There has been a measured decrease in cases of decay in children, with the Western Isles amongst the lowest rates in Scotland – well below the national average. This success demonstrates the hard work of the dental teams, schools, nurseries, and parents throughout the islands, and we look forward to another successful Childsmile Summer!” Parents are encouraged to book an appointment for their child during their local ‘Childsmile Week