From pregnancy to a baby’s first tooth, our dental students are helping expectant parents across Greater Manchester feel more confident about their family’s oral health.

HIPPOH (Helping Infants and Parents to Protect their Oral Health) is a student-led initiative helping parents access practical oral heath advice and support during pregnancy and when their baby arrives.

The University encourages our students to take their learning into the community to enable them to fully understand and help tackle real-world problems. Students work in collaboration with community groups, organisations, and schools to expand their skills and knowledge, enabling them to provide necessary and relevant services to local people, benefitting both the local community and the students.

For Fourth year dental student Haleema Khan being part of HIPPOH has been an opportunity to take dentistry beyond the dental chair and into the local community. She says, “It’s a chance to share our knowledge and inspire good oral hygiene habits, while making a positive difference.”

Final-year student Maria Yusufi says the experience is about more than developing clinical skills “It’s about understanding and empathising with patients, building trust and ensuring their comfort and confidence.”

Working in St Mary’s Hospital and Sure Start centres across Greater Manchester, the students meet expectant parents at an important moment in their lives. They share practical resources and advice on oral health during pregnancy, healthy dietary choices and caring for babies’ teeth from birth.

In the North West, 30% of five-year-olds have experienced dental decay, and children may be three times more likely to develop decay if their mother has high levels of untreated disease. Pregnancy is associated with increased risk of gum disease, altered dietary habits and vomiting-related enamel erosion, which may further impact maternal oral health.

Fourth- year student Amina Rahman says it’s a crucial time to engage with parents: “When going through one of life’s biggest events, pregnancy and raising a baby, small habits and routine can slip away in the messy conundrum of day-to-day life. Oral hygiene is of utmost importance during pregnancy due to hormonal changes, as well as a vital component to introduce into children’s lives from the start to avoid many preventable oral diseases.”

Final year dental student Zahra Shah says “Delivering sessions has given me valuable experience communicating with expectant parents. This is something we don’t often get the opportunity to do at dental school but will be important in our future careers.

Dr Carly Dixon is a Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and says the scheme has been beneficial for both students and the community.  “The student-led HIPPOH initiative has enhanced the undergraduate learning experience by providing students with opportunities to develop patient-centred care skills beyond the traditional clinical environment. In addition, informing expectant mothers of their entitlement to free NHS dental care during pregnancy and for up to 12 months postpartum helps improve access to preventive dental services and supports better oral health outcomes for both mothers and their children.”

Since November 2024, the project has reached more than 750 parents and has received outstanding feedback from participants. The project was recognised earlier this year with an Outstanding Public Engagement Initiative award at the University’s Making a Difference Awards.

Esther Desouza is a final year dental student and says, “Being involved in HIPPOH has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my time at dental school, and it’s been lovely to work alongside other students who are equally passionate about making a difference!”

Ensuring all students contribute to society as part of their learning is a key focus of The University of Manchester’s 2035 strategy From Manchester for the world.

Dr Julian Skyrme, executive director of social responsibility and civic engagement says: “The work of our dentistry students is one of many examples of students making a positive difference through their learning. For example, across the University law students are providing free legal advice, drama students are working in criminal justice settings and management students are supporting charities and community organisations.

As we develop Manchester 2035 strategy, we want these experiences to become a defining feature of every student’s education. Through partner-engaged Learning (PEL), our ambition is that all students have opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, benefiting both their own development and the communities they serve.”