Oral health inequality: Association warns children are “hit the hardest”

The BDA warn the lack of access will disproportionately impact lower-income, higher-needs families. Data obtained by the professional body under Freedom of Information indicates over 15 million appointments for children have been lost since lockdown, well over a year’s worth of dentistry in normal times.

In March 2023, the first oral health survey of five-year-olds published since lockdown showed once again no improvements in decay levels and a widening gap between rich and poor. The data revealed, 23.7 per cent of five-year-old children in England had experience of obvious dentinal decay. This was a marginal increase on the previous survey of five-year-olds in 2019, where figures stood at 23.4 per cent.