50 years of smiles: what really shapes oral health and what comes next
15 May 2026
Dental Nurses' Forum
D
Learning Content
National Smile Month marks 50 years of promoting oral health in the UK. This interactive session reflects on what we have learned over five decades about prevention, access, and inequality and what we still need to change. Moving beyond individual behaviour, the session explores how policy, systems, workforce and social factors shape who gets to smile easily, and the vital role of the wider dental team in driving meaningful, lasting change.
Aims
To celebrate 50 years of National Smile Month while challenging traditional narratives around oral health. The session aims to reframe smiles as a product of prevention, policy and equity, highlight the contribution of dental nurses, and inspire collective action towards fairer oral health outcomes over the next 50 years.
Learning Outcomes
- Celebrate 50 years of National Smile Month by exploring progress in prevention, access, and inequality. This interactive session looks beyond individual behaviour to examine how policy, systems, workforce, and social factors shape oral health and the dental team’s role in driving lasting change.
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