NUH-led programme brings remote dental checks to PCF centres, speeding treatment and prevention.
A tele-dentistry initiative in western Singapore preschools is helping hundreds of lower-income children get earlier dental care, cutting tooth decay risk and improving parents’ follow-through on treatment.
Tele-Dentistry Targets At-Risk Preschoolers
Launched in January 2023, the tele-dentistry programme is part of National University Hospital’s Health and Development Support in Pre-school Partnerships (HEADS-UPP). Funded by the Ministry of Health, it collaborates with Care Corner Singapore and PCF Sparkletots to reach children aged 18 months to six years from lower-income families. As at Jan 20, 355 children from 17 PCF Sparkletots centres in western Singapore had participated, NUH said on April 22, showing how school-based outreach can close access gaps for families who may struggle to seek regular dental care.
Remote Screening And Personalised Reports
Nurses and case management officers visit preschools to take intraoral photographs of each child’s mouth. Parents complete questionnaires on oral hygiene, diet, dental visit frequency and family history of caries. Paediatric dentists from the NUS dentistry faculty then review the images for plaque and decay, alongside the questionnaire responses. Each child receives a personalised report with photos, risk level and recommended follow-up actions, which are discussed with parents to emphasise key preventive steps and necessary treatment. High-risk children are referred to the National University Centre for Oral Health Singapore (NUCOHS), while lower-risk cases go to primary care clinics.
High Risk Profile, But Better Follow Through
The reports showed that 93.3 per cent of children were at moderate to high risk of dental caries. Images revealed 30.7 per cent had inflamed gums and 54.9 per cent had poor oral hygiene. Yet follow-up questionnaires six to nine months later indicated clear improvement in care. About 57.5 per cent of children received specialist treatment at NUCOHS within four to six months of recommendation, compared with just 13.3 per cent in a 2019 National University Health System study of lower-income families. Regular primary care visits also rose, with 51 per cent of parents following recommendations, up from 28.9 per cent previously.
On-The-Ground Impact For Families
Two-year-old Rhianne Lee was assessed as high risk with inflamed gums, prompting closer monitoring at home. Her grandmother, 65-year-old part-time customer service officer Peggy Tan, said the programme taught her how to better manage Rhianne’s brushing routine, even when the toddler resists. Associate Professor Catherine Hong, vice-dean for research, innovation and enterprise at NUS dentistry, said bringing assessments and advice into preschools helps identify problems early for families who face barriers to timely care. She noted that tele-dentistry is more efficient and cost-effective than deploying mobile dental clinics that require a full dental team and equipment on site.
AI Enhancements To Reach More Children
The programme involves experts from NUS dentistry, NUCOHS and the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and aims to reach another 300 children over the next three years, said Adjunct Associate Professor Chong Shang Chee, HEADS-UPP programme lead. The team plans to use artificial intelligence to review intraoral images, analyse questionnaires and generate draft oral health reports. Prof Chong, who heads the developmental and behavioural paediatrics division at NUH’s paediatric arm, said these enhancements will streamline screening, reduce manual workload and allow expansion to more preschools. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, the initiative shows how digital tools and AI can extend preventive dental care to vulnerable children, improving long-term health outcomes at lower cost.
Singapore’s preschool tele-dentistry programme demonstrates how targeted digital screening, school partnerships and planned AI tools can bring earlier, more consistent dental care to lower-income families. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, it offers a practical model for using technology to reach young children where they learn, reduce untreated tooth decay and strengthen public health systems without overburdening scarce dental resources.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , NUH SG (2026)
Keywords: HEADS UPP Programme, NUH Tele Dentistry, Care Corner Singapore, NUCOHS, Dental Caries Risk, Artificial Intelligence Screening
