Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Smile Squad

John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (17:29): (464) My adjournment is for the Minister for Health in the other place, Minister Thomas. The action I seek is for the minister to join me and the community of Southern Metro to see firsthand the rollout of the Smile Squad and, importantly, speak to the team that is getting it done and celebrate the actions that the Allan Labor government is taking to support good oral and dental health for my community.

The Smile Squad is our government’s free school dental program – 100 per cent free for all government schools across Victoria. It has also been expanded to Catholic and low-fee independent schools so kids in Victoria can access the vital dental health care they need no matter their start in life. The Smile Squad offers a range of services to schools from visits for free dental health promotion and education to free annual checkups. The Smile Squad even offers follow-up appointments and additional treatments when needed.

Visits involve a 15-minute check-up for each student, which includes procedures like teeth cleaning, X-rays, a fluoride varnish application and fissure sealants performed based on the unique needs of students. The Smile Squad is a service that all Victorian primary, secondary and specialist schools are eligible for, so why not take advantage of it? The team behind the Smile Squad is beyond qualified. Thanks to the hardworking team of professionals, including dentists, dental assistants, dental and oral health therapists and other medical specialists, children across Victoria can have equitable access to vital dental health care.

I am proud that 2023–24 budget included a further $17 million investment to deliver on our election commitment to Smile Squad in both Catholic and low-fee independent schools, and thanks to the $3 million dental assistant traineeship program we are creating 100 dental assistant jobs. This will go a long way to increasing the pool of school healthcare workers to deliver the vital care we need.

Just yesterday in my community of Southern Metro the Smile Squad visited Canterbury Primary School, a fantastic local school, and I am excited to know that the children there will be enjoying some of the more than 750,000 dental packs that have been provided to Victorian schools through the Smile Squad by the end of the year. I am looking forward to joining the minister in my school community and seeing firsthand the benefits of this transformational program.