Children’s oral health gets Assembly committee check-up

The oral health of Welsh children will be examined in a new inquiry by the National Assembly’s Children and Young People Committee.

The Committee will focus on how effective the Welsh Government has been in improving children’s oral health, particularly in deprived areas where extra investment has been allocated.

Research shows the dental health of children in Wales is worse than in many other parts of the UK and rates of decay are much higher.

The most recent Child Dental Health Survey found that more than half of Welsh five-year-olds suffer dental decay and the problem is most prevalent in deprived areas.

The Welsh Government’s ‘Designed to Smile’ programme launched in 2009 consisted of a supervised tooth brushing scheme for 3-5 year olds and a promotional programme for 6-11 year olds.

“Given the level of investment the Welsh Government has dedicated to improving our children’s oral health, we feel it is time to examine how effective its efforts to improve standards have been,” said Christine Chapman AM, Chair of the Children and Young People Committee.

“Therefore we will be assessing whether that extra investment has delivered improved standards, particularly among children who live in Wales’s more deprived areas.

“We will also be asking what, if anything, can be done to ensure that Welsh children are getting the best possible service, consistently and across the country.

“We would welcome the views and opinions of any individuals and organisations which have an interest in this inquiry.”

Anyone wishing to contribute to this inquiry can email submissions to CYPCommittee@wales.gov.uk, or, alternatively, write to—

Committee Clerk, Children and Young People Committee, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.