Smile Squad services

Smile Squad offers the following services to all Victorian government school students:

• free oral health promotion
• free annual dental health check-ups
• free follow-up treatment as needed.

All Smile Squad services comply with the highest safety and quality requirements.

Oral health promotion

Smile Squad starts with oral health promotion and a free dental pack. Dental packs include a toothbrush, toothpaste and oral health brochure.

Schools will also have access to the Smile Squad oral health promotion guide, A guide to supporting good oral health in schools. It offers friendly opt-in ideas for schools to support and encourage healthy environments and behaviours.

Annual dental health check-ups

After consent has been provided, at the first appointment (the check-up), Smile Squad will check the student’s teeth and provide preventive care.

Dental health check-ups will usually be delivered in a room on the school site using portable dental equipment (portable chair, portable tools, for example).

Services may include:

• teeth cleaning
• x-rays of teeth
• fluoride varnish application
• fissure sealants
• advice about dental health and diet.

The check-up will be approximately 15 minutes long.

For best results, fluoride varnish needs to be applied at least twice a year. Schools will tell parents and carers when Smile Squad is returning for the 6 monthly fluoride varnish visit.

Follow-up treatment

If a student needs follow-up treatment, Smile Squad will seek consent from parents and carers, and make a second appointment. Usually, this appointment takes place in a treatment van on the school site. The van has a full dental clinic set-up.

More complex treatments may need to occur at the local Smile Squad community dental agency. These extra treatments are also completely free of charge.

Depending on the student’s needs, treatment services may include:

• fillings
• root canals
• extractions
• all other general treatment required (excluding orthodontics).

If a student needs follow-up treatment, Smile Squad will call parents and carers to seek consent. If the student doesn’t need follow-up treatment, Smile Squad will see them again in 12 months.

The program does not include orthodontics or cosmetic treatment.

All services are provided free of charge. There are no out of pocket costs for parents and carers.