The Health Promoting Schools Initiative is recognised

as a viable platform to provide integrated and compre hensive oral healthcare. [1] This approach differs from traditional schoolbased settings in that greater account a bility is placed on supportive environments, develop ment of schoolbased policies, community participation, and focus on disease prevention and promotion of healthier lifestyles.[1] The initiative can provide a platform to explore integration of oral health promotion activities within the broader context of healthcare delivery. Oral healthcare should be seen as an essential part of general health. Interventions could include promotion of a healthy diet, oral health education, tobacco cessation, safe water and sanitation, water fluoridation, tooth brushing and fluoride rinsing programmes.[2] Schools in South Africa (SA) are graded according to quintiles, which range from quintile 1 (the poorest) to quintile 5 (least poor). Presently, school health services give greater priority to quintile