Swindon Dental Roadshow

On March 20, 2024, Swindon Borough Council hosted an innovative dental roadshow to celebrate World Oral Health Day, transforming the ground floor of Wat Tyler West Civic Offices into a vibrant hub of oral health education and support. This collaborative initiative brought together multiple stakeholders including the Great Western Hospital Community Dental Service team, local dental practices, and dental charities to provide accessible oral healthcare information to council employees and Swindon residents alike.

What distinguished this roadshow was its deliberate inclusivity. Through strategic partnerships with local substance misuse services and homelessness charities, we successfully engaged with traditionally underserved populations. The event was extensively promoted through tailored channels to reach vulnerable groups, resulting in meaningful participation from individuals facing barriers to regular dental care.
During the three-hour event (1:00-4:00 PM), we welcomed nearly 200 attendees from diverse backgrounds, age groups, and socioeconomic circumstances. The enthusiastic response demonstrated the significant unmet need for oral health information in our community.

The roadshow featured interactive stations where dental professionals provided:

Free oral health assessments and personalized advice
Demonstrations of proper brushing and flossing techniques
Education about sugar's impact on dental health
Information about available NHS dental services in Swindon
Guidance on managing dental anxiety

We distributed 113 toothbrushing packs containing age-appropriate toothbrushes, fluoride toothpaste, and illustrated brushing guides to both children and adults. For many vulnerable attendees, these represented their first dental products in months.
The event fostered valuable collaboration between different oral health stakeholders. The Great Western Hospital CDS team shared their expertise in treating complex cases, while the Supervised Toothbrushing programme representatives highlighted preventative approaches in early years settings. Foundation dentists from participating practices gained valuable experience in community oral health promotion, enhancing their professional development.

In all, the event has generated a template for future collaborations, with participating organizations expressing interest in quarterly outreach activities. Additionally, the data gathered during the roadshow has informed Swindon's oral health improvement strategy, particularly regarding the targeting of resources to areas with high dental need.