Children at 25 Swindon schools offered dental screenings
20% of children’s hospital admissions in the region are due to oral health
Last updated 4th Apr 2025
A Swindon schools trust has teamed up with a dental practice to provide dental screenings for children and tackle “significant” numbers of tooth decay.
So far, hundreds of children at the 25 schools that are part of the Blue Kite Academy Trust have taken part in the joint initiative with Abbey Meads Dental Practice.
Last year, a report by NHS England revealed that three times as many children in Swindon suffer from tooth decay as in the rest of the South West.
Gary Evans, the CEO of Blue Kite Academy Trust, said: “The response so far has been fantastic. We've got hundreds of children in each school undergo the screenings, and at least 20% of those have required follow up intervention at the dentist.
“This is really leading to meaningful change and we're reaching the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children who have not been anywhere near the dentist, so they're having an opportunity to be screened and to get some really early intervention”.
According to Mr. Evans, children miss out on regular dental screenings for a number of reasons.
Even though dentistry for children is free, many families worry about the costs attached and avoid making appointments unless it is urgent.
The ever-decreasing number of NHS dentists that take on new patients is another factor which is why Abbey Mead Dental Practice has been giving follow-up treatment to all children who presented with a dental issue at the school screenings.
Mr. Evans hopes that the scheme sets an example for other schools and dental practices.
“We are trying to work with NHS England to create a model here. So, it'll be about taking it to other dental practices to see why from the NHS point of view, this is actually a more efficient way of doing it. It'll save you money in the long run because it's cheaper to deal with it at an earlier stage. And it’s better for the children”, he explained.
“Your first interaction with the dentist really should be that you turn up at a young age, you go in and you get a sticker. That builds your relationship with the dentist.
“Whereas a lot of children only go when there's a problem, and that means their first interaction with a dentist is a painful one and therefore they don't want to return. So, we're trying to make that initial experience a really positive one”.
Part of the initiative is also educating parents on the importance of regular tooth brushing and giving them guidance on who they can turn to if their child needs dental treatment.