A BIRCHWOOD dentists is celebrating after being the first practice in the town to be certified as providing gold-standard smiles.

Birchwood Dental Practice is the first surgery in Warrington to be awarded a gold-standard Smile 4 Life Award for providing a ‘family-friendly service’.

The scheme aims to educate residents around oral health, with 35 per cent of children in the town having tooth decay – tooth decay is also the main reason that children aged between five and nine are admitted to hospital.

Marion Stockton, senior oral health improvement lead at Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Families may not visit their local dentist for a number of reasons such as fear or cost if they do not realise that NHS dental treatment for children is free.

“By working closely with dental teams in Warrington through the Smile 4 Life Awards we hope to break down some of these barriers so children can develop a happy experience of visiting the dentist from an early age.

“Birchwood Dental Practice is a shining example of a dental practice committed to providing a family-friendly service.

“It has made small but significant changes to ensure it is welcoming to families and it provides oral health education to not only its patients but also local schools.”