Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp recently announced local schools in the Campaspe region were invited to join the program in 2020.
This means families from the region are next on the list to receive free dental care and save hundreds of dollars every year.
The Smile Squad vans provide free check-ups and treatment to Victorian public school students, including teeth cleaning, fluoride application, fissure sealants, fillings, root canals and any other non-cosmetic treatments.
The program, which started in August last year, is being expanded to include schools in Campaspe, East Gippsland, Macedon Ranges, Maribyrnong, Melton, Wangaratta and parts of Casey and Hume.
Mr Gepp said he encouraged all local government schools in the Campaspe region to take up the invitation to have Smile Squad vans visit them this year.
“This will mean families from Echuca to Rochester, Gunbower to Kyabram and beyond are next on the list to receive free dental care and help save hundreds of dollars every year,” he said.
“When it comes to oral health care, early prevention is the key and the Smile Squad program is designed to set our kids up with healthy habits for the rest of their lives.
“Our kids deserve to have healthy happy smiles, but busy families can often struggle to find the time to get to the dentist. That’s why this program is so important.”
Poor dental care can lead to more serious health problems. Across Australia, a quarter of all children have untreated tooth decay and in Victoria, dental conditions are the highest single cause of preventable hospitalisations for kids under 10.
The government’s $321.9 million free dental care program started six months ahead of schedule in August last year.
Once fully rolled out in 2022, the program will provide examinations and dental treatment for more than 650,000 public school kids every year.
For more information, visit smilesquad.vic.gov.au
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