MP praises oral health campaign
An MP has praised a Manchester-based oral health campaign and encouraged health authorities throughout the country to adopt the same model.
Sir Paul Beresford, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dentistry, invited fellow MPs and dental experts to attend a reception at Westminster on Tuesday to hear about the Manchester Smiles oral health campaign. Dr Colette Bridgman, a dental public health specialist, addressed the audience and explained how the campaign works and what effects it has had on standards of oral health in the Manchester area. The Manchester Smiles programme works in conjunction with the local NHS trust.
Sir Paul Beresford urged his colleagues to take home Dr Bridgman’s message and discuss the key points with local authorities in their constituency.
Lord Howe, parliamentary under-secretary for health, was the keynote speaker at the event and he took time to outline plans to improve standards of oral health, stating that the problems of inequality and the prevalence of oral health problems required a multi-faceted approach, which involves education and social care, as well as other factors.
The Manchester Smiles programme includes fluoride treatments for children, a buddy scheme between dental practices and schools and ‘meet the dentist’ sessions.
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