Hanrine Smiles is a grassroots initiative with The University of Western Australia Dental School to improve awareness of oral health in rural and remote Western Australia.
Final year Dental students, under the supervision of a dentist, visit remote schools in the Pilbara and Goldfields, educating school children on the importance of oral health, and providing dental packs which include toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, and toothbrush timers.
There has been an expansion to select remote Pilbara schools where the school children now receive dental checks and basic treatment in school, a culturally secure and familiar environment.
Through collaboration with The University of Western Australia Dental School, the program supports:
For many school children these visits are the first time they’ve received professional dental care. By pairing real world clinical placements with on the ground engagement, Hanrine Smiles improves oral health outcomes while exposing a new generation of practioners to remote care.
