Childsmile is celebrating its 20th anniversary this June, marking two decades of transforming children’s oral health across Scotland.

Since its launch in 2006 as a pilot initiative, Childsmile has grown into Scotland’s national programme for improving children’s oral health, making a significant and lasting difference to families nationwide.

At the heart of its success is strong partnership working. Gail Stewart, Childsmile Coordinator, said: “The NHS Forth Valley Childsmile Team would like to extend a sincere and heartfelt thank you to all our colleagues and partners across education, health, community and partner services. Your ongoing support and collaboration have been key to our shared success.”

Over the past 20 years, Childsmile has delivered impressive outcomes, demonstrating the power of prevention, one of the key priorities in NHS Forth Valley’s Population Health and Care Strategy. Rates of dental decay among five-year-olds have fallen dramatically, from around 60% in 2006 to approximately 25% today. This progress has contributed to improved oral health, as well as wider benefits for children’s health and wellbeing.

The programme also represents excellent value for money, with strong evidence highlighting the benefits of early intervention. While the annual cost of the programme is around £1.8 million, it delivers estimated savings of £4.7 million, with treatment costs shown to be 2.5 times higher than prevention.

Local Impact in NHS Forth Valley

• Childsmile’s impact is clearly visible across NHS Forth Valley:
• Community and Practice Programme (established 2011/12)

More than 5,756 children supported through successful family contact

• Fluoride Varnish Programme (established 2007/08): Over 86,600 applications delivered
• Supervised Toothbrushing Programme (established 2000)
  • Delivered in 196 nurseries and schools
  • 99% of nurseries participating
  • 60% of primary schools participating

These initiatives demonstrate the programme’s growing reach and its strong presence in early years and education settings across Forth Valley.

Looking ahead, the Childsmile team remains committed to building on this success. Gail Stewart added: “While we celebrate these achievements, we remain committed to further improving oral health outcomes, reducing inequalities across Scotland, and continuing to work in partnership to support local children and families.

“We look forward to continuing this important work together, helping every child in Scotland have the best start with their oral health.”