Mayor of London’s oral health ambitions welcome, but must be joined with action, say dentists
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 1st October 2018
The British Dental Association has welcomed commitments on oral health from the London Mayor within the new London Health Inequalities Strategy.
The document outlines ambitions to see partners take further action on improving child oral health, including access to dental care, particularly targeted on those communities least likely to be attend a dentist.
The BDA has been reaching out to directly elected mayors across England to use their influence to improve outcomes and reduce oral health inequalities.
Dentists across London are already engaged in a range of initiatives to address oral health inequalities in their own areas, and are ready to do more. The BDA has expressed its determination to work with the Mayor, the dental profession and other partners to support and facilitate the aims set out in the strategy.
The BDA’s Health and Science chair Russ Ladwa said:
“We’ve made our case to City Hall and welcome the aspirations set out in the Mayor of London’s Inequalities Strategy. Tooth decay is a wholly preventable disease, and there is no reason why it remains the number one reason a child in this city will be admitted to hospital.
“Today a baby born in Harrow is three times more likely to have tooth decay when they enter primary school as one born in Bexley, and we will not see progress until the capital’s oral health gap is closed.
“Families across London deserve better when it comes to access, education, and prevention. It is now vital that the Mayor uses his influence to ensure these ambitions are joined with action.”
