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Dentistry learners celebrate National Smile Month

Eastleigh College Dentistry learners have created a thematic board display and given a presentation to pupils at a local school in recognition of National Smile Month.

National Smile Month (16th May to 16th June 2022) was established in 1977 as a means of increasing awareness of the important role that oral health plays in our lives. Oral health issues affect millions of people per year and can lead to long-term diseases, tooth loss and in some cases cancer. The campaign promotes a variety of methods to boost oral hygiene, from nutritional choices to cleansing routines to ensuring regular dental appointments. It also addresses the financial challenges associated with maintaining good oral health, with statistics indicating that over 50% of 18-24-year-olds struggle to meet the costs for efficiently looking after their mouth, teeth and gums.

To reinforce these important messages, learners from our dentistry courses have come together to produce a colourful board display on campus that can be viewed by learners and staff throughout the College. The theme of the board was 'the life of a smile', tracking the life cycle of our mouths from babyhood to old age and the health changes we may experience along the way.

On 7th June, a cohort of our dentistry learners also visited Shakespeare Infant School, where they gave an educational presentation on the importance of a regular brushing routine and eating foods that nourish the teeth. Pupils further had the chance to participate in fun activities that could enable them to expand their knowledge of the field further.

Louise Rooke, Dental Nurse Assessor at Eastleigh College, said: “This is the third year that we have collaborated with Shakespeare Infant School in this way and this has helped us build up a great relationship with the school. Our learners have worked hard on creating an itinerary of activities that pupils would love and it was great to see their efforts met with such a positive reception.”

Luke Byrom, PE Leader at Shakespeare Infant School, said: “We are very grateful for these learners taking the time to visit us. Our pupils were really buzzing afterwards and keen to share their experiences with others. We hope to see them again next year.”

There is still time to get involved in National Smile Month – 15th June marks the Great British Brushathon which is a global campaign encouraging people to take a selfie while brushing their teeth and share the image on social media, thus helping to promote the value of this practice.

A career in dentistry can open up many doors in what is a lucrative industry. Many of our alumni have also gone on to study at University to further their careers in the field. For more information on our dentistry courses, please visit our website page here.

For any further queries, please contact the College at BeBetter@eastleigh.ac.uk.