TO mark Dental Health Week, Sunraysia Community Health Services will be trialling dental excursions for three early childhood services for the first time since 2019.

Registered with the Smiles 4 Miles program, children from Kathleen Kelly Kindergarten, Nangiloc Kindergarten and Mildura Central Early Learning Centre will take part in the excursions designed to educate children on the importance of taking care of their teeth, eating healthily and visiting the dentist.

Children will tour the dental facilities with a dental nurse and participate in a puppet brush session, story times and other activities that promote good oral health.

In Sunraysia, 17 early childhood services have signed up to participate in Smiles 4 Miles in 2023.

SCHS health promotion officer Emily Baker said it was important to educate children early on the importance of oral health.

“Dental Health Week is a great opportunity for early childhood services to promote the program’s key messages: Drink well, Eat well and Clean well," Ms Baker said.

"With the trial going well this year, hopefully we can offer more early child childhood services an excursion in 2024."

SCHS oral health educator Toula Le Gassick echoed this sentiment.

“Children should be taught the basics of dental health, at a young age," Ms Le Gassick said.

"Learning through lessons and in conjunction with adult supervision, better choices can be made that can improve dental outcomes.

"By promoting good oral health and dietary behaviours early in life we can decrease the likelihood of poor oral health in adulthood.”