OHV supports maternal and child health nurses to give kids healthy start
Our new digital manual supports maternal and child health nurses to give families the oral health knowledge they need.
Victorian families will receive crucial early years oral health guidance thanks to a new Oral Health Victoria digital resource.
The new online tool, ‘The little mouth manual: Oral health information for Maternal and Child Health Nurses’, is a practical, evidence-based guide supporting oral health promotion, early prevention, and screening. The digital guide replaces an earlier hard copy iteration.
Maternal and child health (MCH) nurses play a vital role in supporting the health and wellbeing of children and their families, helping every Victorian child to grow, learn and thrive. The new manual strengthens the capacity of MCH nurses to share prevention-focussed oral health information with families across the 10 Key Ages and Stages visits, covering pivotal stages of childhood development from birth to 3.5 years.
“This is all about setting families up for success. Maternal and child health nurses are uniquely placed to provide families with crucial information about oral health, including good nutrition and mouth checks. The role MCH nurses play during those early years is critical and we’re thrilled to support them to improve oral health outcomes for children and families”, said Oral Health Victoria Chief Executive Officer Susan McKee.
The resource is a complete guide to support MCH nurses in all aspects of oral health care – from connecting families with appropriate services to empowering them to provide information about supporting the oral health of children with asthma or responding to rural families about fluoride access. It will also be an invaluable tool to assist MCH students and recent graduates as they navigate their new field.
Created collaboratively, the manual draws on the expertise of MCH sector leaders, universities, and dental health experts. A working group of 18 MCH nurses provided input during development to ensure the content of the enhanced digital resource reflects contemporary practice. OHV and the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne also partnered with experts from La Trobe University, Municipal Association of Victoria, The University of Melbourne, Safer Care Victoria, Maternal and Child Health Line and the Department of Health.
“Councils know how critical oral health is to children’s overall health and wellbeing, and the enhanced digital resource The little mouth manual will support Maternal and Child Health Nurses across the state to maintain up-to-date knowledge, deliver consistent health promotion messages, and assist families to connect with appropriate services in their local communities,” said Municipal Association of Victoria President Cr Jennifer Anderson.
“The MAV congratulates Oral Health Victoria on the development of the digital ‘The little mouth manual’.”
The manual was officially launched at the Maternal and Child Health Conference on Friday 27 March. Access the manual: www.ohv.org.au/mchmanual
