Dental Caravan Event

There was a sense of excitement at Vauxhall Primary School in south London last week (Wednesday 1 October) as King’s College London Dental Institute, together with Well London, drove the mobile dental surgery through the school gates and parked up, offering parents and children the opportunity to learn how to look after their mouths and to link with local dental teams.

As part of a King’s Health Partners initiative to support the health of the local community, the event began with toothbrushing for breakfast club pupils and ended with a parent ‘meet and great’ session with local dentists.

The mobile dental surgery was provided by Community Special Care Dentistry at King's College Hospital and highlights of the day included visits to the surgery with chair rides and acclimatisation for early years, fluoride varnish demonstrations and oral health instruction for Key Stage 1 pupils. Discussions about the importance of a healthy diet and the role of fluoride in strengthening teeth were led by the Dental Institute’s Smile Society for Key Stage 2 children.

Overall there was a sense of excitement that built up over the day. Teachers, pupils and parents at Vauxhall Primary School shared in the experience, which will no doubt infiltrate the homes of these families.

The evaluation of the event is being undertaken in collaboration with the University of East London and the Dental Institute is working with key agencies in south London to host a phase two Well London project.