Health students from University of Northampton (UON) are ‘polishing’ the health of future generations during annual, school-based demonstrations and talks.
Every year, Lecturer in Dental Nursing Moira Richardson and her team organise placements for their students in primary schools to deliver dental health workshops for the school children.
The workshops – supervised by the Dental Nursing team – cover toothbrushing techniques – time, frequency, how a healthy diet can lead to good oral health, the importance of attending the dental surgery and dressing up activities and singing (the children dress up in ‘scrubs’ to play role being a dentist/dental nurse).
The children also receive a free toothbrush to take home.
The workshops enable students to their class-based learning with a real word, community engagement activity, while promoting the importance of good oral health practices among children.
During the 2025-2026 academic year, the team delivered these educational sessions to a total of 2,169 children in schools, and during this summer’s STEAM Northants careers and futures showcase, held at Waterside Campus.
Layla Whittaker is one of the students who has spoken to school students. She said: “For me, being able to promote oral health to children in schools gave me the satisfaction that I did something good and to have done it well.
“I think that is very important because its means when kids have a good oral hygiene routine from young age and it helps to prevent any issues further down the line.
“Delivering the workshops also helped me build up my confidence supporting children with their oral health and tailoring these messages to certain age groups.”
The impact of these visits and future potential if they are rolled out, not just in Northamptonshire but beyond, will be explored at the University’s next Café Scientifique research talk and Q&A event on Thursday 24 September.
Brigette Gouda – a recent student of UON’s Professional Doctor of Health and Social Care Practice course – will explore her research examining the potential role of dental nurses in supporting early oral health interventions for infants and toddlers, including visits to schools.
The event will take place from 5pm-6:30pm at The Bee Hive, Harborough Road in Northampton and all are welcome. The event is free at door, but refreshments are available to purchase on the night.
Find out more about Dental Nursing at University of Northampton.