With children now back at school, parents are being encouraged to make the most of free dental care available for eligible students from Prep to Year 10.
There are 14 dental vans that service students from Caloundra to Gympie, as well as three on-site school facilities at Nambour, Caloundra and Maroochydore.
Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service oral health therapist Liko Kotera says prevention is better than treating a problem, and the dental vans and school clinics make this convenient for families.
“Dental is very important because it is the first entry of our body is the mouth,” she said.
“A lot of parents think just because they’re baby teeth they don’t need to look after them, they’ll get a new set of adult teeth, but they actually have an important role in keeping the space for the adult teeth, and obviously you don’t want to lose baby teeth early as it can affect the way they eat.”
Getting children comfortable with getting their teeth checked also helps set up positive life-long habits.
“Especially at the school sites, we do try to make the dental vans children-friendly,” Ms Kotera said.
“They look at the van from the outside and go ‘oh, what is this big place?’, and sometimes the dental clinics can be a bit daunting, so we do see a lot of children hesitant to get their check-up.
“I think once they come in they realise how fun it can be and how important it is to brush their teeth.”
Oral health therapists will take a good look at the child’s teeth and gums, assess how adult teeth are developing and advise if there are any tricky spots the toothbrush might be missing.
Ms Kotera said that for children aged up to eight, parents should be helping with brushing at home, and for older children if recommended by a health professional.
“Although going back to school can be hectic, it’s very important parents assist with brushing at least twice a day as well as floss at night-time,” she said.
“Depending on the age it’s important parents do help, and use a fluoridated toothpaste and an appropriate size toothbrush.”
Your child’s school will notify you when the dental van is due to visit and will provide the forms required. To check eligibility and book at a clinic, click here and enter your suburb.
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