This month saw the first event of a new oral health initiative involving undergraduate students and staff from the University of Liverpool School of Dentistry supported by the Liverpool Football Club Foundation.
The ‘Smile Squad’ initiative is a collaboration between the School of Dentistry and LFC Foundation and involves our staff and students attending community football programme (Kicks) to deliver oral health advice and to identify children who may require care.
Oral health is an integral part of general health and reaching out to children while they are engaged in a fun activity can help break barriers.
The mission of the LFC Foundation is to create life changing opportunities for children and young people. Working in areas of high need and deprivation across Liverpool city region, it aims to deliver sustainable and long-term change for communities and ensure that this work continues to benefit future generations.
Our first visit was to Anfield sports and community centre, where undergraduate dental students met children aged 5-8 years old, following their football training session. This was a valuable opportunity to highlight any evidence of dental disease and to deliver oral health advice to children and their parents.
The undergraduate students found working in the community exceptionally valuable to their wider engagement whilst also contributing to increasing the University’s external profile. One Student commented.
‘I really enjoyed it! I wanted to get more experience with children, break down barriers around access to care and fears the children might have had about the dentist if they'd never been before’.
Professor Sondos Albadri, Professor of Paediatric Dentistry said: ‘This is a unique initiative and the first in our city for many years. Oral health is an integral part of child health and wellbeing and it’s great to see the Foundation investing and working with us at the University to spread the message across the city.
Staff and students are currently planning to continue to work with LFC Foundation to expand the project of further areas of high need with in the Liverpool city region.