The invitation to submit professional expertise to the NHS dentistry consultation just announced, is not only welcomed by the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD), but is seen by the Society as an essential next step in the process. BSPD supports the focus on prevention and notes the incentives to support patients with high levels of decay in the proposals. However, BSPD cautions that the ultimate need is long-term contract reform to give children and young people (CYP) the required focus to turn the nation’s oral health around for the future.
BSPD, the UK’s leading expert on CYP’s oral health is now working on the detailed interventions required to improve outcomes, and will be submitting their evidence-based recommendations by the 19th August deadline.
Dr Shannu Bhatia, BSPD President, said: “BSPD welcomes this consultation period, because it is important that our Society’s experts in children’s oral health can spend the next six weeks examining the details of the proposal. We are glad to see the focus on prevention, as well as incentives to support patients with high levels of decay within the initial plans, but ultimately what we need is long-term contract reform where children and young people have been actively considered – along with a range of measures to support our young vulnerable patients who are not currently able to access NHS dental services.
“With tooth extraction still the main reason for a child aged between 5 and 9 years to be admitted to hospital for what is a largely preventatable disease, we must make children a priority. If we don’t look at more preventative solutions beyond those delivered in dental practices, we risk widening oral health inequalities. As the UK’s expert voice on children’s oral health, BSPD is looking forward to submitting our response which will include evidence-based recommendations to the committee.”
