The report’s findings include:
- Many parents are anxious that their children have not been able to see a dentist since the pandemic.
- The Designed to Smile programme, which had been the Welsh Government’s flagship programme to prevent dental cavities in young children in Wales, has not recovered since the school closures and staff redeployment that were part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- There are significant inequalities in access to dentistry services, with groups including people with learning disabilities, people from gypsy and traveller communities and asylum seekers and migrants experiencing particular barriers to accessing the care they need.
- There are questions as to whether current funding levels are appropriate.
The Committee’s recommendations include:
- The Welsh Government must ensure the Designed to Smile programme is restored to pre-pandemic levels and provide an update on progress by the end of the summer term 2023.
- The Welsh Government should carry out research to identify whether oral health programmes for up to 12-year-olds should be delivered through schools in all health boards.
- The Welsh Government should commission research into the public health value of and attitudes towards introducing fluoride into the public water system in Wales and commit to publishing the findings of this research.
- The Welsh Government should review whether the current levels of funding are appropriate.
In response to the report, RCPCH Officer for Health Services, Dr Ronny Cheung said:
This report, although enlightening, is a difficult read. It highlights the huge impact that poor dental and oral health has on children, including high numbers of hospital admissions. It shows once again the impact that the cost-of-living crisis is having on children’s health. As the report highlights, it is our most vulnerable members of society who struggle most to access these services. Quite simply, this is not good enough.
Designed to Smile was a hugely successful national programme which managed to deliver a 25% reduction in levels of tooth decay in children from 2008 to 2016. Seeing what has been achieved with the right resources, only adds to the frustration of seeing the impact this recent lack of investment has had on children’s dental and oral health in Wales today.
We would urge the Welsh Government to carefully consider the recommendations made by this report and as a matter of urgency ensure that Designed to Smile is resourced to deliver at least at the levels we saw pre-pandemic. Considering the poor oral health figures in Wales we are once again asking the Welsh Government to consider its position on water fluoridation.