Oral Health Promoter

Job overview

Oral Health Promoters  -  Whittington Health Dental Service Band 5

Whittington Health Community Dental Service (CDS) operates across ten boroughs in Northwest and North Central London providing a comprehensive service for patients with complex needs, as well as evidence-based oral health promotion to key population groups, in line with national and local strategies for reducing inequalities in oral health. Northwest London and North central London has some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country, with socially diverse, multi-cultural and ageing populations. Deprivation is associated with poor oral health and wide inequalities in oral health.

We are looking for an Oral Health Promoter to join our dynamic dental team,  providing care to young children and vulnerable groups  in NWL boroughs , in particular Ealing and Brent and also supporting the implementation and delivery of Supervised tooth brushing programme in schools and early years settings and also working with vulnerable groups and care home programmes, along with our established core community based OHP programmes. Excellent communication skills both written and verbal, and presentational skills are essential criteria for this post.

The post holder will be expected to work closely with OHP team, members of the community dental team as well as liaising with other professional and carers in the Health Service, Social Care, Educational and Voluntary sector.

Main duties of the job

This post will be based in the Community Dental Service.  The principle care groups covered by Community Dental Services are:

• children with high levels of dental decay or with special needs,
• people with profound physical, mental or medical disabilities

The purpose of this job is to contribute toward the improvement of oral health and reduction of oral health inequalities by

• Supervised toothbrushing programmes
• providing education and support
• maximising the availability of fluoride
• building skills, capacity and confidence in local people
• increasing access to local NHS dental services

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Support implementation and delivery of our established core community-based OHP programmes, including:

• Supervised tooth brushing scheme
• Brushing for Life
• Fluoride Varnish
• OHP outreach for vulnerable groups
• CQC OH standards in care home

Train and support frontline staff to make every contact count, following the “train the trainer” model ‘Tooth Champion’ training. Partner groups will include

• Schools and Early Years settings
• Children services including looked after children services
• Social care and home-support services including care homes
• Hospital and community-based health professionals
• Charity and voluntary sector organisation

Provide oral health promotion and preventive care where appropriate to vulnerable groups and the general population in line with current guidelines such as Delivering Better Oral Health.

Work in a variety of settings including schools, children centres, nursing and residential homes, sheltered accommodation, hospital wards, day centres for adults and children with special needs.

To work with communities to identify and address barriers and opportunities for oral health improvement e.g. Children Centre HEY award, Healthy school London award etc.