A little trip to the dentist
Firstly I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our ‘little’ campaign since its launch last month. We’ve been absolutely bowled over by the sheer amount of interactions and posts on social media, and it’s been lovely to see the posters going up in your practices right across the West Midlands. Don’t forget to keep posting with #ALittleTripToTheDentist and tag us using @NHSMidlands.
We were especially proud to have been featured on BBC Midlands Today, where you may have seen Eddie Crouch, member of our Local Dental Network, talking about the campaign and why it’s so important babies are seen by a dentist as soon as possible, as well as Anita Kundra, a Wednesbury dentist who you’ll hear more from later in this newsletter. They were joined on the programme by a family whose eldest child suffered from tooth decay at a young age and benefitted from seeing a dentist – a perfect example of what this campaign is all about.
‘A Little Trip To The Dentist’ has been a labour of love for the project team at NHS England and Public Health England for quite some time and we’re very pleased to have finally got to a position where we’ve been able to share that hard work with you. We have an opportunity now to use this momentum to really drive forward these important messages, and the part you and your teams play is vital in making a difference for the children and families in our region.
April sees the campaign take on a whole new theme, as we encourage families to start thinking about oral health even before their babies arrive. There’s lots of ways expectant parents can prepare for a little trip to the dentist and it’s equally important that mums-to-be look after their own mouths too. You’ll find more about the theme in the rest of this newsletter and in the campaign toolkit. If you haven’t received the toolkit or would like specific resources, contact james.tomlinson1@nhs.net.