BIRCHWOOD Dental Practice is celebrating after achieving a Gold Standard Smile 4 Life Warrington Dental Award for its commitment to providing a family friendly service.
The award scheme is run by The Oral Health Improvement Team from Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Bridgewater) in partnership with the Public Health Team from Warrington Borough Council.
The Smile 4 Life Warrington Dental Award programme provides useful guidance to dental practices on the measures that can be put in place to help educate families about oral health and help them overcome any issues which may be preventing them from visiting a dentist.
There are three standards that dental practices can achieve in the programme – gold, silver and bronze.
Birchwood Dental Practice has become the first practice in Warrington to receive the Gold Standard status.
Marion Stockton, Senior Oral Health Improvement Lead at Bridgewater explains: “Currently around 35% of children in Warrington have tooth decay and it is the main reason that children aged five to nine years old are admitted into hospital.
“Families may not visit their local dentist for a number of reasons such as fear or cost if they do not realise that NHS dental treatment for children is free or language difficulties.
“By working closely with dental teams in Warrington, such as Birchwood Dental Practice through the Smile 4 Life Awards, we hope to break down some of these barriers so children can develop a happy experience of visiting the dentist from an early age.
“Birchwood Dental Practice is a shining example of a dental practice committed to providing a family friendly service. It has made small but significant changes to ensure it is welcoming to families and .it provides oral health education to not only its patients but also local schools.
Dr Mark Woodger, Dentist and Partner at Birchwood Dental Practice said: “We are delighted to be the first dental practice in Warrington to receive this award.
“We would like to thank Marion Stockton and the Oral Health Improvement Team for their support throughout this process. We very much value the work they do.”
If you are a Dental Practice in Warrington and would like to find out more about The Smile 4 Life Warrington Dental Award please contact Bridgewater’s Senior Oral Health Improvement Lead Marion Stockton on [email protected] or 01925 867973.
