Junta rolls out free dental check-ups for children in Andalucía

The Andalusian public health service (SAS) has launched an "active patient recruitment campaign", as described by the regional government's spokesperson for health, Antonio Sanz. Families with children between the ages of six and twelve are being contacted by telephone to arrange free dental check-ups at their primary care centres. In the first phase, the families of six-year-olds will be contacted and in a second phase, the families of 12-year-olds will be contacted.

The campaign forms part of the Andalusian dental services optimisation plan. In addition to this campaign, Sanz explained that the Junta de Andalucía is reinforcing dental coverage for children from birth to 15 years of age with the renovation of equipment, new infrastructures and an increase in staff, thanks to an investment of 28 million euros. Andalucía now has 237 active dental clinics distributed throughout the region and 247 dental professionals to cover these clinics, according to the Junta.

Each clinic is staffed by a TCAE (auxiliary nursing care technician) and a dentist. "Since the end of last year, six teams have been added to reinforce the primary care clinics and seven dentists to reinforce the performance of dental procedures in hospitals," said Sanz.

The improvement also corresponds to the updating of the portfolio of services that has led to the implementation of the Andalusian comprehensive oral health plan, which has not only involved the incorporation of children from zero to five years of age, but is placing special emphasis on those age groups that are priorities for oral health: two to three years, six and 12 years.

This follow-up is done in coordination with paediatricians, paediatric nurses and school nurses, who actively recommend that families attend the annual check-up.

Independently of the campaign, since June, families can request an appointment with the dentist for children aged 0 to 15 through the usual external channels: the app and the Salud Responde telephone number (955 54 50 60), ClicSalud+ and the Salud Andalucía app.