NHS Dentistry Services

Lord Clark of Windermere Excerpts

Thursday 11th July 2019 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford]

The noble Lord is quite right: prevention is always better than cure. That is why the programme for oral health improvement in both the NHS long-term plan and the dental contract being tested focuses on a more preventive approach to oral care. Water fluoridation is obviously a very effective way of improving oral health, particularly for children. According to the 2012 Act, it must be a local decision supported by Public Health England in the lead. We want to see more decisions. PHE’s guidance on delivering better oral health sets out clear expectations on this, but there are also other ways in which fluoride can get to children. One is through fluoride in toothpaste, which is now at effective concentrations; the other is that all dentists are expected to deliver fluoride to teeth directly, at clinically appropriate intervals, to all children in their care.

[Lord Clark of Windermere (Lab)]

Is it true that more than a million people were unable to get a dentist under the health service last year?

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford]

I do not have that figure in my briefing pack, but I am very happy to write to the noble Lord to confirm or deny whether that is the case.