Cornwall Council, Smile Together Dental CIC and Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise have teamed up to improve the oral health of children across the county with three new programmes.

It comes as figures reveal an 83% increase in the number of caries-related tooth extractions in hospital for 0-to-19-year-olds compared to the previous year 2020/2011[1].

The first programme, Smarter Smiles, will provide Oral Health Education and a Fluoride Varnish programme as well as an accreditation scheme for schools and nurseries in areas of high decay across Cornwall, championing a ‘whole-school’ approach to oral health promotion and prevention.

Smarter Smiles builds on the legacy of the successful Brighter Smiles oral health programme which delivered toothbrushing clubs, fluoride varnishing and oral health education to around 6,500 children each year.

The Smarter Smiles combined oral health promotion team will not only continue this work with young children but complement it by making a sustainable difference to the oral health of children and adults with additional needs.

The second new programme, named First Dental Steps, will see the council’s Health Visitors support families with tooth-brushing for 9–12-month-old babies.

And the third will see free oral health packs distributed to every two-year-old in the county, estimated to be around 7,500 children, thanks to the generous support of Smile Together and Go Cornwall Bus Company.

The three schemes combine to form an integrated oral health pathway to give children the best possible start in life.

Cllr Dr Andy Virr, Cabinet Member for Public Health at Cornwall Council, said:

“Extraction of teeth because of tooth decay continues to be the most common reason for hospital admission in children aged 6 to 10 years1. This is preventable and oral health is an important aspect of a child’s overall health status and their school readiness and their ability to learn and develop.

“It could not be a better time for our partnership to launch this critical oral health pathway to support the oral health of Cornish children from nine months to five years and enable even earlier interventions.”

Alison Cane, Outreach Manager at Smile Together said:

“Since 2015, Cornwall Council and Smile Together have co-funded the delivery of Brighter Smiles, Cornwall’s oral health programme, which has seen our outreach team engaging with thousands of children each year. Delivering this expanded Smarter Smiles oral health programme will positively influence the oral health of thousands more children and adults most in need across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”

The new First Dental Steps scheme is a national Health Visitor-led infant oral health improvement programme in collaboration with NHS England.

There are approximately 5,000 births a year in the county and Smile Together dental experts have been sharing information for Health Visitors to support families with effective toothbrushing of children aged 9-12 months at their Health Visitor review.

Families will benefit from oral health packs including age-appropriate toothbrushes, sippy cups designed for toddlers to prevent or reduce spills, and oral health advice and guidance, preventative advice and prevention clinics, and onward referrals where needed for specialist dental treatment for more complex dental cases.

In addition to all this, Smile Together and Go Cornwall Bus are jointly funding free oral health packs to every two-year-old in Cornwall with distribution once again via the Health Visitor network.

These packs will contain age-appropriate toothpaste, toothbrushes and a ‘top tips’ leaflet for the family giving oral health advice and guidance.

Mark Collins, Commercial Director at Go South West, said: “Recognising the importance of children’s oral health we were keen to become an oral health supporter. As we provide a comprehensive network of bus services throughout Cornwall, we wanted something with county-wide impact so this opportunity to ensure an oral health pack reaches every two-year-old is perfect, filling the gap between First Dental Steps and Smarter Smiles to ensure there is a smooth oral health pathway for every child from 9 months through to 5 years.”

For more information about Smarter Smiles please visit https://smartersmiles.co.uk/

Reference

[1] Hospital tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds 2022 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Smile Together Dental CIC was ‘highly commended’ in the ‘Public Services Social Enterprise of the Year’ category at the prestigious UK Social Enterprise Awards in London on Thursday 30^th November.

The awards are hosted by national sector body Social Enterprise UK to recognise impact and innovation in purpose-led business across awards 15 categories.

Smile Together is an employee-owned certified B Corporation, in business to deliver exceptional patient dental care whilst tackling oral health inequality for healthier happier communities across the south west, and was also shortlisted in the ‘Community-Based Social Enterprise Award’ making it an exciting awards evening all-round for the team!

Jonathan Bouwer-Davies, Managing Director at Smile Together, said: “We are honoured to have our work recognised and be highly commended in these prestigious national awards. It’s a testament to the extraordinary contribution of our team who, together, resolutely deliver the highest levels of patient care alongside outstanding initiatives aimed at tackling oral health inequality across local communities. Our congratulations to all the inspirational, sector-leading social enterprises who were both shortlisted and recognised.”

Social enterprises are businesses that trade for a social or environmental purpose. There are an estimated 100,000 social enterprises in the UK contributing around £60bn annually to the UK economy and they are set up to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing society and the environment.

Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “The last year has been a difficult one for businesses across the UK, and it has been no different for social enterprises. The Awards were a real evening of hope and inspiration and brought home the sheer ingenuity, adaptability and determination of the social enterprise community, which has continued to deliver for the people and communities they work with and support.

“The winners include businesses which are breaking down barriers for groups marginalised in the workforce, organisations at the heart of local economies, and those finding innovative ways to tackle the climate crisis. The ever-growing movement of social enterprise truly represents business at its best.”

Smile Together has proudly published its 2022/2023 Social and Environmental Impact Report entitled: “A force for good in a changing landscape”.

According to Managing Director Jonathan Bouwer-Davies: “It’s never been a more important time for Smile Together to be a strong and consistent force for good on behalf of our people, our patients and our communities, with a clear focus upon environmental sustainability. We deliver much-needed urgent and emergency care alongside a range of NHS referral and private services, whilst working in partnership with others to make every contact count”.

Smile Together is an employee-owned community interest company and certified B Corporation, with an engaged and passionate team, dedicated to making a difference for those who need care most. Since 2016 they have reinvested over £7 million into patient facilities, their people and local communities, tackling oral health inequalities across the county and beyond, achieving even greater impact through an integrated partnership approach.

Jonathan continues: “Thank you as always to our colleagues, commissioners and other partners for their commitment, resilience and support as we continue to navigate our way through our ever-evolving landscape. We’re thrilled to publish our Social and Environmental Impact Report for 2022/23, demonstrating the delivery of our vision and mission in such a consistently meaningful and transformational way”.

You can download a digital version of the Smile Together Social and Environmental Impact Report 2022/2023 from their website at https://smiletogether.co.uk/a-force-for-good-in-a-changing-landscape/ where there is also an accompanying mini impact film.

Cornwall-based Smile Together Dental CIC is a double-finalist in the UK Social Enterprise Awards, recognising it as one of the country’s most innovative and impactful businesses.​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌

Social enterprises are mission-led businesses that reinvest or donate most of their profits for a social or environmental purpose. Smile Together is an employee-owned certified B Corporation, in business to deliver exceptional patient dental care whilst tackling oral health inequality for healthier happier communities across the south west.

Smile Together beat stiff competition to make the shortlist for the UK Social Enterprise Awards this year, which attracted more than 400 entries from 226 organisations based all over the country. These awards recognise sector-leading excellence and innovation across a diverse range of criteria, and Smile Together is a finalist in both the ‘Public Services Social Enterprise of the Year’ category and ‘Community-Based Social Enterprise Award’.

Jonathan Bouwer-Davies, Dental Director and Interim Managing Director at Smile Together, said: “It’s a testament to the extraordinary contribution of our team that we have been shortlisted for these two prestigious national awards. Together, our team resolutely deliver the highest levels of patient care alongside outstanding initiatives aimed at tackling oral health inequality across local communities.”

Social enterprises are powerful actors in shaping local places and communities, be it operating in remote rural communities or supporting in inner cities. Smile Together is the sole provider of dental care on the isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the Cornish coast comprising five inhabited islands with a population of around 2,300, increasing to around 6,000 in the summer. The highly experienced Smile Together dental team of two is integral to that close-knit community, and both dentist Michael Twamley and dental nurse Ellie Mumford are passionate about enhancing the oral health of the island population, especially child dental health, frequently going above and beyond for the community. Learning of their shortlisting success they said: “That’s amazing news, very unexpected. We’re really honoured to be considered”.

Smile Together will join other finalists and VIP guests at a prestigious awards ceremony in London’s iconic Roundhouse on Thursday 30^th November 2023, when the winners will be revealed.

The Awards are run by Social Enterprise UK, the leading membership body for social enterprises. There are more than 100,000 social enterprises in the UK, employing around 2 million people and contributing £60bn to the national economy each year – while also tackling some of the biggest challenges facing people and planet.

Peter​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌ Holbrook CBE, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, commented: “Our Awards are the ultimate showcase of the impact and excellence of social enterprises. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​Those who made the shortlist are a beacon of innovation, optimism and resilience in turbulent times. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​These are trailblazers and standard-setters for better business, making profit but not putting it before people and planet – and they do all this under the same immense pressures as other businesses, with the long-term impacts of Covid and a national cost of living crisis. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​

“The challenges we face as a society demand new approaches and a shift in how businesses – big and small – act.‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​ Social enterprises celebrated at our Awards are the brightest stars in a brilliant sector, giving us all inspiration and motivation to do business better.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Smile Together is no stranger to the Social Enterprise UK Awards having proudly won ‘Social Investment Deal of the Year’ (with Resonance Ltd) back in 2019, and highly commended in the Health & Social Care Enterprise category in 2018.

The full awards shortlisting can be seen here: https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/news/shortlist-announced-for-the-uk-social-enterprise-awards-2023/

Fisherfolk and their families are being offered free dental checks, emergency treatment and oral cancer screening in five fishing ports across Cornwall and Devon thanks to Smile Together Dental CIC. The treatment will relieve any immediate dental problems including simple tooth extraction, permanent fillings and scale and polish with referrals through NHS routes where more complex oral surgery is required.

Oral health packs for the fisherfolk who attend will include a toothbrush, toothpaste and 2-minute timer along with top dental tips for all the family and in some locations there will be free healthy lifestyle advice and information from other healthcare providers and charity partners.

Smiles at Sea is funded and delivered by Smile Together in partnership with The Fishermen’s Mission and Healthy Cornwall, SeaFit and their partner network of healthcare providers.

According to project lead Joy Callender: “This will be the sixth year Smile Together have visited local harboursides. We’re passionate about tackling oral health inequality in our communities, in this case helping to improve the oral health of fisherfolk who so rarely get to see a dentist due to the demands of their work.”

Fisherfolk who attended Smiles at Sea last year found it extraordinarily valuable with comments including: “brilliant service to offer… very patient with me being nervous …having the dentist come to us is brilliant for fishermen…excellent treatment by brilliant people…very helpful, will come again… fantastic, lovely team…great service, very beneficial, thank you…very nice people, enjoyed my visit.’

The 2022 #SmilesAtSeaUK tour for fisherfolk starts in Newlyn on Tuesday 27th September and finishes in Padstow on Friday 7^th October, visiting Newquay, Brixham and Mevagissey along the way. In Penzance and Newquay the team are also supporting Cornwall Health for Homeless initiatives with the mobile dental unit.

Ali Cane, Clinical Innovations Programme Manager at Smile Together, adds: “We are so looking forward to making a difference in our coastal communities. By diving deeper into prevention and care we want to leave the fishing communities smiling and a great deal healthier. Every eligible person who sees our oral health team will receive a pack of oral health items and healthy snacks, plus be entered into a free prize draw! We are also encouraging people to bring along their old toothbrushes, empty toothpaste tubes and associated packaging for recycling through our commitment to Colgate TerraCycle. Everything you’d expect from a certified B Corporation doing business for good!”

Smiles at Sea is an award-winning programme having won Best Outreach or Charity Initiative in the national Dental Awards 2019 and shortlisted as Project of the Year in the Third Sector Business Charity Awards 2020.

For more information about the forthcoming #SmilesAtSeaUK tour please visit www.smilesatsea.co.uk or contact Tracy Wilson on 07789 943426 / email tracywilson17@nhs.net

Cornwall-based Smile Together is now officially a certified B-Corporation, and the first dental practice in the UK to achieve this prestigious accreditation.

As Paul Critchley, Smile Together Managing Director, explains: “This is a tremendous accolade. As a values-based, mission-led organisation, impact is at the heart of everything we do and it was natural for us to seek B Corp accreditation. After a rigorous and lengthy certification process, we can now proudly shout that we’re a member of this international community of like-minded organisations making business a force for good across the world”.

Smile Together is an award-winning employee-owned dental community interest company operating across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and they achieved an impressively high overall B Impact Score of 122.9. In context, 80 qualifies for B Corp Certification, so a score like this is incredibly high demonstrating their commitment to their patients, community, environment, suppliers, partners and one another.

The formal B Corp plaque presentation took place on Monday 15^th August at Polzeath Beach, Cornwall with Mark Cuddigan, Head of Ella’s Kitchen and a member of the national executive for B Corp UK.

As Mark explains: “B Corp provides independent verification that an organisation meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability in balancing profit and purpose. B Corp is not just about getting a badge, it’s continuing to do the right thing as a business. It’s about collaborating to make the world a better place. We are thrilled to see Smile Together achieve their certification, and with such a great score and potential influence”.

Also in attendance was Nick Wills, Head of IT & Information Governance for Smile Together, who coordinated the B Corp assessment process, and Chris Hines MBE who works closely with the company and inspired their B Corp journey. Chris explains: “Increasingly people want to work for, buy from and invest in businesses they believe in. You often hear people say ‘there’s no Planet B’ and they are genuinely interested in businesses with an ethos that’s about making a sustainable difference. Smile Together has an impressive track record in this space and it made perfect sense for them to seek B Corp certification and in turn inspire others to become a business for good”.

Paul concurs: “From those first steps as an independent dental CIC in 2016 we have made extraordinary progress – we’re a company that can and does make great things happen, and our B Corp certification will ensure we have an even more positive impact in the future”!

For more information, please contact Tracy Wilson, Head of Marketing and Communications, on 07789 943426 or email tracywilson17@nhs.net