A new project inspired by Scotland's 'Childsmile', using flexibilities in the dental contract has been launched. The project aims to increase access to dental services for families in Skelmersdale.

From left to right: Melanie Catleugh (Consultant in Dental Public Health, NHS Central Lancashire), Janice Nicholson (Head of Dental Commissioning, NHS Central Lancashire), Stephen Bass (Dental Provider, Firbeck Dental Practice), Barry Cockcroft (Chief Dental Officer, Department of Health), Dr Stephen Ward (Medical Director, NHS Central Lancashire)

Skelmersdale Smiles is a pilot project which is currently being delivered through a partnership between NHS Central Lancashire and a local NHS dental practice, and will mean that every child born in Skelmersdale and their siblings will be offered NHS dentistry.

Patients attending the Skelmersdale Smiles practice will receive risk-based, age-specific preventive care delivered in accordance with the Department of Health's 'Delivering Better Oral Health' toolkit. The project will be robustly evaluated and extended within Cumbria and Lancashire.