Over 420 pupils at Carclaze Community Primary School will continue improving their oral health after Imerys Minerals and West Carclaze Garden Village renewed their commitment for the third year running to Brighter Smiles - Cornwall's oral health campaign.

Their donations reflect both companies' commitment to reversing the continuing trend of avoidable tooth extractions from children in Cornwall.

This support has enabled the Brighter Smiles team to once again set up toothbrushing clubs in the reception classes and deliver oral health education to all the schools' pupils with home education packs for all to encourage continued good practice at home with all the family. Although currently paused due to the pandemic, it will also enable the team to apply fluoride varnishing to the teeth of reception and year 1 pupils, once Public Health England give the go-ahead for this to resume.

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Brighter Smiles lead oral health nurse Jo Trevelyan with Dylan the dragon and some of the pupils from Carclaze School

Simon Pollard, Head Teacher at Carclaze Community Primary School said 'The pupils look forward to seeing the team and their dragon, and really engage with the fun oral health activities'.

In addition to Cornwall Council, Imerys and West Carclaze Garden Village, Brighter Smiles is supported by other local and national organisations. In previous years over 80 schools, nurseries and family hubs and 4,500 children have regularly engaged in the programme but with 280 schools in Cornwall there is still much more to do.