Open Wide and Step Inside Programme
Our Open Wide and Step Inside Program is aimed at children in Year 2 and supports teachers with their early years statutory framework to promote good oral health and deliver important key oral health messages.
This is a free 45-minute session which includes a 15-minute animated film about Geoffrey the Giant who doesn’t like to look after his teeth and has never visited the dentist! With the help of his friends, Geoffrey learns some important key oral health messages which are vital in keeping his mouth healthy. Following the film there will be an interactive session engaging with the children, instilling those important key messages.
At the end of the session each child will receive an Oral health pack which include resources to enable toothbrushing at home.
This programme was established as a response to the alarming deterioration in children’s oral health, with almost a quarter of 5 years olds currently experiencing tooth decay and having on average of three-to four teeth affected, which consequently leads to the child needing multiple extractions under general anaesthetic. Tooth decay is largely preventable, so the promotion of better oral health in young children needs to be a top priority.
Specifically designed lesson plans and children’s workbooks have been created which can be digitally sent to your school for extra support to these sessions giving additional learning opportunities on this topic.
Staff delivering the programme will carry a DBS certificate.
If you have any questions please contact dentaloutreach@plymouth.ac.uk
Oral health remains one of the most common yet preventable health issues affecting children in the UK.
In 2025, almost 34,000 children and young people underwent hospital tooth extractions due to tooth decay, demonstrating the impact of poor oral health and the importance of prevention. Despite tooth decay being largely preventable, 26.9% of five-year-old schoolchildren in England experience dental decay, while 43% of children do not attend regular dental appointments.
Poor oral health can lead to pain and infection, altered sleep and eating patterns, school absence, and negatively affect a child’s wellbeing and confidence. It also places wider social and economic pressures on families and healthcare services.
Schools consistently report the positive impact of the Open Wide Step Inside programme:
“The session was engaging, informative, and delivered in a way that captured the children’s interest brilliantly.
“The visit was greatly appreciated and had a positive impact on our children.”
“it has resulted in wider benefits such as providing additional evidence for Healthy School status, informing Ofsted reports and involving families that are sometimes hard to engage with.”
Find out more about the impact of the Open Wide and Step Inside programme here.
During the 2024/25 academic year, 5806 Year 2 children in 170 primary schools across Devon took part in ‘Open Wide and Step Inside’ sessions delivered by PDSE.
