Gold star for bright smiles
Smiles 4 Miles is an initiative of Dental Health Services Victoria and is implemented locally.
Staff, families and children at Phillip Island Early Learning Centre and San Remo Preschool are all smiles after receiving their Smiles 4 Miles award.
Smiles 4 Miles is an initiative of Dental Health Services Victoria and is implemented locally by Bass Coast Health.
The centres achieve the Smiles 4 Miles award by implementing healthy eating and oral health policies, engaging families about the importance of oral health and educating children through a variety of fun learning experiences based on the Smiles 4 Miles key messages – Drink well, Eat well and Clean well.
Tooth decay, an oral disease, affects half of all children and adolescents and is five times more prevalent than asthma.
The percentage of children in Bass Coast aged 0-5 attending public dental services who have at least one decayed, missing or filled tooth is 25 per cent. Children with tooth decay and poor oral health can have trouble eating, sleeping, and paying attention at kindergarten.
“Phillip Island Early Learning Centre and San Remo Preschool are leading the way to help children form good oral health and healthy eating habits early,” Smiles 4 Miles Coordinator Beth Allan said.
“Children take lessons they learn at a young age with them, right up to adulthood. By promoting healthy habits early in life, together we can decrease the likelihood of poor oral health later in life”.
Educator Paige Kouts from Phillip Island Early Learning Centre was excited to see the service awarded.
“We know that good oral health is essential to overall health and wellbeing and it’s rewarding to achieve our award and know we’re teaching children these good habits early in life,” she said.
