Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) has delivered a successful free dental pop-up clinic for children aged under 10 in Gainsborough, helping families access oral health advice and dental assessments within their local community.
The initiative aimed to improve awareness of good oral health habits, support families in accessing dental care and identify children who may require further assessment or treatment.
Held at Market Arcade Children’s Centre in Gainsborough, the pop-up clinic saw 35 children, 20 of whom were not registered with a dentist and were provided with details of local dental practices that had been contacted and identified as accepting new child patients.
The session combined oral health advice, information on healthy eating, and ‘lift the lip’ assessments carried out by the CDS dental team to identify early signs of tooth decay. Where appropriate, fluoride varnish was also offered as a preventative treatment, and every child received a free toothbrush pack to take home.
Jennifer Baitup, Strategic Oral Health Lead said: “We are delighted to have delivered this successful pop-up dental clinic for children in Gainsborough. While overall rates of tooth decay across West Lindsey are below the national average, findings from the local Epidemiology (EPI) survey highlighted significant oral health concerns among some children in the area. Almost half of the children who received a follow-up outcome letter were identified as having signs of advanced untreated dental decay, indicating a need for prompt dental care and additional support. Combined with feedback from local schools and early years practitioners, this demonstrated a clear need to bring dental services directly into the community.
By providing free, accessible dental checks and advice, we hope to help families access the support they need and prevent oral health problems from becoming more serious.”
The successful event formed part of CDS’s ongoing commitment to improving oral health outcomes for children and building positive oral health skills for life.
