The Plymouth Sunny Smiles Project
Supporting care experienced children and young people in their oral health and access to dental care
What this project is about
This project wants to find out how care experienced children and young people look after their oral health, how easy it is for them to visit the dentist and what happens to them when they get there.
The aim of the project is to identify ways to improve children and young people’s oral health and experience of dental care.
We also want to explore dental health professionals’ thoughts and experiences of supporting the oral health of care experienced children and young people.
Why this project is needed:
There is research to show that care experienced children and young people are more likely to have poor oral health and are less likely to go to the dentist than people who haven’t been in care. However, there is very little research explaining why there is this difference and what can be done to reduce it.
Please download a
pdf summary
of the existing global evidence we found on the dental needs of care experienced children and young people
and how they access dental care.
and how they access dental care.
How this project is different:
This project is different from previous research looking at this issue because it is being carried out together with care experienced children and young people themselves.
They are working closely with the researchers to see how best to carry out the research.
The project will explore the experiences and opinions of children and young people, foster carers, health, social care and dental professionals.
What we will do with the findings:
A workshop will be held to discuss the findings and to develop recommendations for supporting oral health and improving access to dental care by care experienced children and young people.
These recommendations and ideas on how they can be implemented, will be shared locally and nationally with a view to making real and positive changes to dental care for care experienced children and young people.
Find out how get involved
Please choose the link below that best describes you:
Meet the team
University of Plymouth members
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![Dr Martha Paisi Senior Research Fellow in Public Health]( "Dr Martha Paisi")
Dr Martha Paisi
Senior Research Fellow in Public Health
Principal Investigator
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![Dr Nick Axford NIHR Peninsula ARC (PenARC) Associate Professor in Health Services]( "Dr Nick Axford")
Dr Nick Axford
NIHR Peninsula ARC (PenARC) Associate Professor in Health Services
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![Lorna Burns Associate Head of Postgraduate Taught]( "Lorna Burns")
Lorna Burns
Associate Head of Postgraduate Taught
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![Miss Afsha Musa Visiting Specialist]( "Miss Afsha Musa")
Miss Afsha Musa
Visiting Specialist
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![Professor Jill Shawe Professor of Maternal and Family Health]( "Professor Jill Shawe")
Professor Jill Shawe
Professor of Maternal and Family Health
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![Dr Hannah Wheat Senior Research Fellow in Dementia Research]( "Dr Hannah Wheat")
Dr Hannah Wheat
Senior Research Fellow in Dementia Research
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![Professor Robert Witton Professor of Community Dentistry]( "Professor Robert Witton")
Professor Robert Witton
Professor of Community Dentistry
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Stakeholder group
We are working closely with a stakeholder group representing different specialties and foster carers that have an influence on oral health outcomes for care experienced young people.
Funding
The Plymouth Sunny Smiles Project is funded by The Borrow Foundation.
The Borrow Foundation