The government’s Smile Squad program has now delivered free dental care to more than 100,000 students – helping thousands of parents save time and money and keeping Victorian kids happy and healthy.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas and Minister for Children and Acting Minister for Education Lizzie Blandthorn visited Amsleigh Park Primary School on 18 July to celebrate the successful program which is making sure thousands of children get the oral care they need – free of charge.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said Smile Squad is saving families time and money – ensuring that all Victorian government school students can get the high quality dental care they need, at school.
Delivered by mobile teams of dedicated oral health clinicians who travel across the state in bright orange vans, Smile Squad provides free check-ups, x-rays, teeth cleaning, application of fluoride and dental sealants, fillings, and root canals to school students.
Minister for Children and Acting Minister for Education Lizzie Blandthorn said good health is essential for staying focused at school.
“That’s why we’ve rolled out Smile Squad across Victoria which has delivered oral care to more than 100,000 students,” she said.
Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos said Smile Squad saves families time and money by ensuring that government school students receive the high-quality dental care they need, right at school.
Since the program launched in 2019 Smile Squad has delivered 200,000 free initial and follow-up appointments to kids at government schools and provided more than 600,000 dental health packs which include a toothbrush and toothpaste.
A survey of students attending Smile Squad found that 36 per cent of them don’t brush their teeth twice a day, and 16 per cent of them had never had their teeth checked by a dental professional before Smile Squad visited their school.
Across Australia, at least a quarter of children have experienced tooth decay and in Victoria dental conditions are the highest cause of preventable hospitalisations for children under 10.
The Smile Squad program was first funded in 2019 with an initial $321.9 million investment and the program received a $16.9 million boost in the Victorian Budget for 2023/24.
This will support Smile Squad to expand into low-fee non-government schools from 2026.
Victorian parents are encouraged to keep an eye out for information about Smile Squad and sign their kids up when the service next visits their school.
