Public health team receives award for children’s tooth decay campaign

This award, as part of the prestigious Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) Awards, recognises a public health team for establishing ways to improve public health practice.

The award came to the team at Blackburn with Darwen, who were recognised for their achievements in reducing the number of children with tooth decay. In 2019, 51 per cent of the borough’s five-year-olds had decayed, missing, or filled teeth – the highest proportion in England.

Under the leadership of Abdul Razaq, Blackburn with Darwen’s director of public health, the borough published a five-year ‘Oral Health Improvement Partnership Strategy’ and, despite the challenges of covid and lockdown, remained committed to the implementation of the plan.