New survey reveals half of Jersey’s under 5’s have never been to the dentist
A new survey has revealed that around half of 5 year olds living on Jersey have never been to the dentist.
A survey by the charity, Super Smiles, suggests that around 50 percent of children haven’t been to the dentist by the time they reach of 5 years old. The study also claims that 3,000 children on the island are not registered with a dentist.
Super Smiles was set up by dental duo, Sarah Pollard and Caroline Wetherall, five years ago. It supports around 1,000 children in schools around the country and was recently given funding to try and improve standards of dental health on the island over the course of the next three years. One measure Sarah and Caroline are keen to employ is brushing clubs at nurseries and schools, which encourage children to brush their teeth when they arrive at school in the morning. There are also hopes to ensure that every child has access to a dental educator.
Dental surgeon, Sarah, said that the survey had flagged up alarming trends. Half of children aged 5 have never been to the dentist before, despite advice from leading bodies that states that children should go to the dentist on a regular basis from the age of 12 months old. Unfortunately, Sarah believes that lengthy waiting lists and high private dental fees are making it difficult for parents to take their children for regular appointments.
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