 |
answer text |
<p>NHS England has a legal duty to commission National Health Service dental services
to meet the needs of the local population. NHS England also has arrangements in place
to help patients who cannot find a local dentist that is accepting new patients.</p><p>
</p><p>The proportion of children seeing a dentist at least once a year is already
high with 6.8 million children having seen a dentist in the 12 months ending 31 December
2017. This is 110,767 more children than saw a dentist in the 12 month period ending
31 December 2016.</p><p> </p><p>Survey data suggests 75% of children are now decay
free at five years old. But there is further to go to ensure all children benefit
from this improvement. The proposed new contract being tested includes a clinical
pathway which supports dentists to provide the most appropriate preventative care
as well as active treatment. Alongside this NHS England is targeting children in areas
of particularly high need.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘Starting Well’ programme has been launched
in 13 high needs areas and aims to reach children not currently being seen regularly
by a dentist. Starting Well core, a complementary programme NHS England is developing,
will take the principles of approach and make it available as a broader model to any
commissioner based on local assessment of need and priorities. This is expected to
be available later in 2018.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p>
|
|
