Promoting Dental Health Education to Achieve an Exceeding Rating in Your Childcare Service

Perfect for Dental Health Week in Australia 4 – 10 August 2025

At BEST Childcare Consulting, we support childcare providers across Western Australia to achieve excellence through meaningful, evidence-based practices. One highly effective yet often overlooked strategy for exceeding expectations under the National Quality Standard (NQS) is the integration of dental health education into your service’s everyday program.

Why Focus on Dental Health?

Oral health plays a crucial role in a child’s overall wellbeing, yet dental issues such as early childhood caries are increasingly common in Australia. By embedding oral health promotion into your service, you demonstrate a strong commitment to children’s health and align your practices with multiple NQS Quality Areas.

Aligning Dental Health Education with Exceeding Themes

Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety

Standard 2.1 – Health

“Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted.”

To meet Exceeding expectations:

  • Embedded Practice:
    Include daily or weekly oral hygiene routines such as supervised toothbrushing, discussions about healthy food choices, and role play using dental props.
  • Critical Reflection:
    Regularly reflect on the effectiveness of your dental health practices. Are they culturally appropriate? Are families engaging? Use insights to adapt and improve.
  • Meaningful Engagement:
    Partner with local dental professionals for on-site education or screenings. Share dental health newsletters, provide take-home kits, and involve families in oral care initiatives.

Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice

Standard 1.2 – Practice
Intentional teaching is key. Educators can:

  • Incorporate dental themes into storytelling, art, and science.
  • Encourage questions and exploration about teeth, brushing, and food choices.
  • Link to EYLF Outcome 3: Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing.

Resources:

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-law-regulations/approved-learning-frameworks

https://teeth.org.au/dental-health-week

Quality Area 6: Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Community

Standard 6.2 – Community Engagement
Exceeding services engage families and the wider community to support children’s learning and wellbeing. You might:

  • Organise Dental Health Week events with guest speakers or local dentist visits.
  • Distribute culturally inclusive oral hygiene information.
  • Connect families to dental services or child health nurses as needed.

Resources & Links:

Real-World Strategies That Exceed

  • Toothbrushing Program
    With parental consent, implement a daily supervised brushing routine using guidelines from 

https://www.dental.wa.gov.au/Start-Right-Smiles

  • Oral Health Resources
    Include books, songs, and videos about dental hygiene in the learning environment. Example:
    Brush, Brush, Brush! – ABC Kids Listen

https://www.youtube.com/@ABCkidTVLearning

  • Take-Home Packs
    Provide children with dental kits and parent tip sheets using resources from:
    • Raising Children Network: Teeth & Dental Care

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/dental-care/dental-care-toddlers

  • Annual Events
    Celebrate Dental Health Week with themed activities, parent sessions, and community dentist incursions.
  • Documentation & QIP Links
    Take photos, collect child and parent feedback, and include dental health in your QIP under Quality Areas 1, 2, and 6.

Let BEST Childcare Consulting Help You Shine

At BEST Consulting, we support services in implementing sustainable practices that not only meet regulations but exceed expectations. Dental health education is a small yet powerful way to boost outcomes for children while strengthening your NQS rating.

Ask us how today.