UK Supervised Toothbrushing Schemes Show Unequal Access

UK: New research reported by Dentistry.co.uk reveals significant disparities in access to supervised toothbrushing schemes across the UK, despite an overall increase in provision since 2022. The study shows that the number of children benefiting from such schemes varies dramatically between local authorities, with figures ranging from as few as 70 children to as many as 10,170.

According to the research, lack of funding and limited capacity are among the key barriers to wider access. These findings have prompted calls from dental organisations and experts for a nationwide approach to tackling these inequalities.

Calls for Government Action

The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) has urged the government to implement a national supervised toothbrushing programme, particularly in the most deprived areas, as outlined in its election manifesto.

BSPD president Shannu Bhatia stated: “Whilst BSPD welcomes the progress outlined in the Brush report, we are looking to the government to implement the national programme of supervised toothbrushing, targeting the most deprived areas that was promised.”

She emphasised the importance of acting swiftly, adding: “The proof that early years prevention works as an intervention is clear, and BSPD has been calling for targeted supervised toothbrushing nationally for over a decade. We now have to move to the implementation stage as quickly as possible. We are ready to play our part.”

The Postcode Lottery of Provision

The British Dental Association (BDA) has criticised what it describes as a “postcode lottery” of unequal access to supervised toothbrushing. BDA chair Eddie Crouch remarked: “The government has made the right call on supervised toothbrushing, but it needs to put its money where its mouth is.”

Crouch further highlighted the potential benefits of these schemes: “Ministers have a chance to save children pain and our NHS a fortune, but only if they are willing to invest. We need more than the current postcode lottery of provision. Austerity-fuelled hyper-targeting will not achieve the change our children deserve.”

Concerns Over Funding Availability

A major concern raised by both the BSPD and BDA is the lack of guaranteed funding for the proposed schemes. The research underscores the importance of financial support for the successful implementation of supervised toothbrushing programmes, pointing out that they yield significant returns on investment by reducing the need for dental treatments.

However, the BDA expressed alarm over the government’s withdrawal of £125 million in pledged funding, which was initially expected to come from taxing non-domiciled residents. Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently stated: “We have been listening to the concerns that have been raised by the non-dom community.”

In response, Crouch remarked: “The chancellor says she’s ready to listen to concerns of non-doms. It’s time she heeded the warnings of dentists, the needs of patients, and acted on her own party’s manifesto pledges.”

The Path Forward

While dental organisations welcome the progress noted in the research, they are united in their demand for urgent government action to address funding gaps and implement a nationwide scheme. As the BSPD and BDA emphasise, a well-funded and widely accessible supervised toothbrushing programme could not only improve oral health outcomes but also deliver long-term cost savings for the NHS.

As the Dentistry.co.uk article concludes, without decisive government intervention, the inequalities in access to supervised toothbrushing schemes are likely to persist, leaving many children without the preventive care they need.