The oral health charity Dentaid have launched a major new education initiative. Developed with funding from the Department of Health, Bright Bites is a comprehensive learning tool designed for dental professionals and schools to teach UK children the importance of good oral hygiene and a balanced diet. The project was officially launched by health minister Rosie Winterton on 24 March at St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Doncaster.

The programme is based around an interactive CD-ROM featuring 'Charlie', the Bright Bites hero. Children explore his house visiting different rooms, each teaching them about a different aspect of oral health and diet using games and video clips.

The CD-ROM forms part of a teaching pack that has been distributed to all state primary schools in England to help meet the objectives of the Key Stage 2 curriculum. The pack has also been designed with dental professionals in mind and is just as appropriate for oral health education within the practice environment. A CD-only version is available to run in the waiting room and retail packs can be sold by practices either on a profit making basis, or as a not-for-profit option to support Dentaid's charity work around the world.

Rosie Winterton, pictured at the launch, said 'Bright Bites promises to have a real impact on the oral health education of England's children.' Further information on the project can be found at www.brightbites.org.