Oral Health Improvement Support Assistant | Kent Public Health | Maidstone

Intro

Are you a motivated administrative professional looking to make a tangible difference in children’s lives? Kent Public Health is expanding its team to deliver a vital new supervised toothbrushing programme under the government’s “Plan for Change.” This is a fresh opportunity to join a thriving public health department within Kent County Council. As an Oral Health Improvement Support Assistant, you will be the administrative backbone of a program designed to give children in Kent the best start in life. If you have a high level of accuracy and a passion for community health, this is an ideal way to launch or grow a career in public sector health services.

Key Responsibilities

Program Support: Assist the newly formed supervised toothbrushing team in implementing and expanding service delivery across Kent.
Administrative Excellence: Manage project activities, clerical duties, and documentation to ensure the smooth running of the health service.
Knowledge Sharing: Distribute best practice guidelines and materials to partner organizations and stakeholders.
Effective Communication: Act as a liaison between the public health team and external partners, requiring high standards of spoken and written English.
Project Coordination: Support the Public Health Specialist in tracking program milestones and achievements.

Context: The Need for Oral Health Improvement

Oral health inequality is a significant public health challenge. According to the National Dental Epidemiology Programme (2022), tooth decay remains the most common reason for hospital admission among children aged 5 to 9 in the UK.

The data reveals sharp disparities:

Socioeconomic Status: Children from the most deprived areas are 3 times more likely to have severe tooth decay than those from the least deprived areas.
Demographics: Statistics from the 2022 survey show that 43.1% of 5-year-old children from White British backgrounds had experience of tooth decay, compared to 53.3% of children from Asian/Asian British backgrounds.
Regional Impact: In Kent, targeted supervised brushing programs aim to close these gaps by reaching children in early years settings where consistent dental hygiene may be harder to maintain.

What You’ll Bring

Experience: A proven background in a professional office environment, specifically in admin or clerical roles.
Interpersonal Skills: The ability to communicate confidently with diverse groups of people across the county.
Organization: Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple project streams simultaneously.
Mobility: Flexibility to travel across Kent as required to support various program sites.
Language Proficiency: A command of spoken English sufficient for a customer-facing role (Statutory duty under the Immigration Act 2016).

About the Role

Based out of Sessions House in Maidstone, you will be part of a dynamic and supportive team. This isn’t just a “paper-pushing” job; you are supporting a frontline health intervention.

You will be line-managed by a Public Health Specialist who will prioritize your professional development. KCC offers a “Work that works for you” philosophy, emphasizing flexibility and an inclusive workplace culture. Because this is a new program, you will have the unique opportunity to help shape the administrative processes from the ground up.

Details at a Glance

Location: Maidstone (with travel across Kent)
Employer: Kent County Council (Public Health)
Requirement: Basic DBS Check
Status: New program under the “Plan for Change” government initiative.

To apply for this job please visit talents.studysmarter.co.uk.