Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve oral and dental heath in areas of deprivation.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities co-ordinates annual dental surveys to assess the local oral health needs of specific population cohorts. This data is available to local authorities for targetted oral health improvement programmes. The Department has published resources to support local authorities, including toolkits to support commissioning of evidence-based oral health improvement programmes for pre-school children and vulnerable adults.

In England, local authorities are responsible for assessing the oral health needs, developing strategies and commissioning improvement programmes for children and adults in the local area. Public health services commissioned by local authorities in England are funded through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant. In 2022/23, the total Public Health Grant will be £3.417 billion.