On September 27, 2023 the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) launched a set of infographics to improve oral health, which has now been translated into the five languages identified by the CORE20PLUS5 CYP initiative - as targeting the most vulnerable children in the UK.
This infographic project was conceived during the presidency term of Jenny Harris (now BSPD past president) to support children and families most in need with simple, clear prevention messages. The aim is that both dental and non-dental healthcare professionals will widely use the infographics to support conversations about good oral health behaviours and become a key tool for in-surgery preventive advice.
BSPD’s ‘Top 3 tips for preventing tooth decay’ is now available in the following languages:
- Punjabi
- Urdu
- Bengali (with Sylheti and Chatgaya)
- Polish
- Romanian
- English
The posters, which have been adapted from ‘Health Matters: child dental health’, can be downloaded from the BSPD website and printed for waiting-room walls, in surgery rooms and in other healthcare venues – as well as be given to children to take home and keep as a reminder of what they learnt at their dentist appointment.
Jenny Harris, BSPD past president, said, "Our ambition is to get feedback from dentists up and down the country telling us that they have been using this engaging and colourful infographic in-surgery whenever they give oral health advice to children and their parents. It is a great tool for reinforcing the three top tips for looking after teeth, especially as a quick reminder as part of a routine recall visit. We want children to be encouraged to stick the poster up on their bedroom walls amongst their posters of popstars and footballers! That would be a massive win for preventative oral health!
“The intention is that these infographics are also shared with non-dental professionals such as local networks of health visitors and school nurses so we can work together to prevent the next wave of dental caries.”
Professor Paula Waterhouse, BSPD president, said, “The priority for my presidential year is to ensure that we drive the society’s mission to advocate for accessible, quality paediatric oral health for all children and young people. This is my ‘ED&I lens’ through which I will be viewing all paediatric oral health materials. BSPD has taken up the challenge to lead the way to ensure that paediatric dentistry is entirely inclusive by design. So, I am thrilled that the society is launching these powerful, yet very simple, infographics in the languages that we know, through the CORE20PLUS5 CYP initiative, will reach those who need and will benefit from them the most.”
These children-facing infographics follow on from BSPD’s initiative in September 2022 to translate the society’s ‘Practical Guide to Children’s Teeth’ into the eight languages most commonly spoken by asylum-seeking children and their families. The ‘BSPD Practical Guide to Children’s Teeth’, has become a key resource for parents and carers.