A school-based oral health intervention in East London: the Happy Teeth fluoride varnish programme

Abstract

Background: The Community Dental Services of Barts Health NHS Trust in City and Hackney and Tower Hamlets PCTs in East London have provided a school-based oral health intervention since 2009.

Objective: The aim of this paper is to present the programme development, outcomes and evaluation.

Subjects and methods: The programme consists of fluoride varnish applications linked to school dental screenings for three to six-year-olds, combined with oral health promotion for parents/carers. An outreach linkworker works closely with schools to help identify and support vulnerable families into the programme.

Results: In the first year of the programme 160 of the target children (42%) had one FV application and 81 children (21%) had two applications. In the second year 149 children (39%) had one FV application, and 113 (29%) had two applications. Amendments to the protocol increased programme participation in the third year, with 1,822 of the target children (61%) having one FV application and 1,586 (53%) having two applications.

Conclusions: The programme proved acceptable to the school staff, participating parents/carers and children. The Happy Teeth programme is proposed as a model for school-based fluoride varnish programmes.