Back to school smiles go wild at Melbourne Zoo with Smile Squad
Families visiting Melbourne Zoo on Wednesday 21 January kicked off the school year with healthy smiles courtesy of Victoria’s free school dental program, Smile Squad.
The bright orange Smile Squad vans and highly skilled oral health teams handed out hundreds of free oral health packs and remind kids that, just like the Zoo’s South American Tapir, Lupo, they need to eat well, drink well and clean their teeth well.
Oral Health Victoria (OHV) partnered with local community health service Holstep Health and Zoos Victoria, inviting families visiting the zoo to take part in the day’s activities, designed to promote the benefits of good oral health.
Kids had free oral health checks with experienced oral health professionals on hand to answer any questions parents and carers had about their children’s oral health.
Across Australia, a quarter of children have decay in their primary (baby teeth) and in Victoria, dental conditions are the highest cause of preventable hospitalisations for children under 10.
Oral disease is one of the most common and expensive diseases to treat, but it is also largely preventable.
Smile Squad is the Victorian Government’s free school dental program. During the school term, the program visits schools across the state to set Victorian students up for a life of healthy smiles.
It offers students in government primary, secondary and specialist schools free check-ups and treatment – including teeth cleaning, fluoride application, fissure sealants, fillings, and root canals.
Smile Squad has already visited more than 1,000 Victorian government schools. More than 150,000 students have received dental care and over 1,100,000 oral health packs including a toothbrush, toothpaste and oral health brochure have been distributed to families.
The program is delivered by Oral Health Victoria in partnership with community dental agencies across the state.
Prevention is the best medicine, which is why Smile Squad encourages all Victorian children and their families to keep looking after their oral health by eating nutritious food, drinking tap water, and brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
Quotes attributable to Oral Health Victoria Chief Executive Officer, Susan McKee
“Returning to school is an exciting time, and prevention plays a key role in keeping kids healthy. Regular oral health checks help catch issues early and support children to stay focused and pain-free in the classroom.”
“Our proud partnership with Zoos Victoria helps Smile Squad reach even more Victorian children and families and ensure they get the advice and care they need to be set up for good oral health for life.”
Quote attributable to Zoos Victoria CEO Dr Jenny Gray
“Oral healthcare is important for our South American Tapir Lupo and all the animals across our four Zoos Victoria properties, so we’re proud to have partnered with Oral Health Victoria since 2017 to help our visitors maintain their oral health too.”
For more details on the Smile Squad program, visit: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/smile-squad
Image credit: Jo Howell, Zoos Victoria
Media contact: Emma Warren | emma.warren@dhsv.org.au | 0403 545 610
Oral Health Victoria is the lead oral health agency in Victoria. We provide oral health services through the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne, Smile Squad and over 45 community dental agencies across the state. We also run statewide prevention and population health programs, invest in oral health research, advise the government on health policy and support the education of oral health professionals.
