The Western Australian Government is marking 50 years of its School Dental Service (SDS) on World Oral Health Day, highlighting major improvements in children’s oral health and announcing a new early intervention initiative.
Since its establishment, the SDS has significantly reduced dental issues among children. The number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in 12-year-olds is now about seven times lower than when the program began.
The service operates through a network of state-funded dental therapy centres (DTCs), staffed by dental and oral health therapists, dental assistants and visiting dentists. Each year, the program delivers care to more than 110,000 students.
There are currently 140 fixed DTCs located in schools across Western Australia, alongside 25 mobile units that service around 140 smaller schools.
To further strengthen preventive care, the Cook Government has introduced the Smiling Starts Early Childhood Dental Program. The initiative targets children under five, aiming to reduce tooth decay before they begin school.
Under the program, dental clinic assistants are being trained to apply fluoride varnish, a protective coating that helps prevent cavities. The training is part of a broader focus on preventive health and early education in oral hygiene.
Smiling Starts also provides free oral health information, screenings and preventive services to young children and their families.
Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the milestone reflects decades of work improving oral health outcomes for Western Australians.
She described Smiling Starts as the “next chapter” in dental care, extending services to younger children to address early gaps in care. Hammat noted that one in three children aged five to six still begin school with some level of tooth decay.
The first group of eight dental assistants has now completed nationally recognised training to support the program, helping deliver additional protection to children at risk.
Acting Preventative Health Minister Jackie Jarvis said providing fluoride treatments outside traditional clinical settings would improve access and create positive early experiences for children.
She added that the initiative positions Western Australia as a leader in preventive dental health.