Urgent Action Needed to Improve Children’s Dental Health in the UK

Children in the UK continue to face significant challenges regarding dental health, despite recent government interventions aimed at improving access to dental care. According to a report by the Child of the North initiative, the situation remains grim, particularly for those in deprived communities. The analysis highlights that children’s access to NHS dentists and rates of tooth decay have not improved sufficiently, necessitating further action.

The latest report, titled Improving Children’s Oral Health Update: Integrated Health and Education Solutions, marks the seventh release as part of the #ChildrenFirst campaign. This update comes a year after the initiative highlighted the troubling state of children’s oral health and proposed evidence-based solutions to address the crisis. While the report acknowledges some progress, it emphasizes that existing schemes require expansion and strengthening to effectively meet the needs of young people across the UK.

Recent Government Actions and Their Impact

Recent government measures have included the introduction of a national supervised toothbrushing program, plans for enhanced water fluoridation in the North East of England, and consultations on expanding the soft drinks industry levy. Additionally, there have been bans on selling high-caffeine energy drinks to children and on junk food advertising before 9 p.m. Despite these efforts, the report reveals that children from England’s most deprived communities are still over three times more likely to require hospital admissions for tooth extractions compared to their peers in more affluent areas.

The report was co-led by Peter Day, a Professor of Children’s Oral Health at the University of Leeds, and Zoe Marshman, a Professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Sheffield. Both have served as advisors on the UK Government’s supervised toothbrushing program, which aims to reach up to 600,000 children in the most disadvantaged regions. Since its launch in March 2025, the program has successfully reached around 240,000 children in schools and nurseries.

Professor Day expressed cautious optimism, stating, “These are exciting times. While disease levels remain stubbornly high—impacting our most vulnerable children and families—the government has taken important steps to implement the policy recommendations outlined in our original report.” He emphasized the importance of evaluating these policies as they are implemented, highlighting the need for engagement from schools and nurseries to capture broader benefits such as improved attendance and school readiness.

Long-term Strategies and Community Engagement

Professor Marshman noted that there has been little improvement in children’s oral health over the past decade. The first national report published in September 2024 called for urgent action, and since then, new initiatives have been announced that hold real promise for reversing concerning trends. “Achieving this potential requires collaborative efforts across national and local government, with child education and health professionals actively engaging with parents and children,” she said.

The #ChildrenFirst campaign builds on a series of reports produced in 2024, addressing significant issues identified by Northern child health leaders, including poverty and mental health. These reports have provided evidence-based recommendations aimed at guiding policymakers in their efforts to improve children’s health outcomes.

Launched at the National Opportunity Summit on September 8, 2025, the campaign features toolkits designed to help schools, child health workers, and local authorities implement practical measures to enhance the well-being of children. These resources are available for free download and are being released weekly from September to December 2025, alongside updated reports in the series “A country that works for all children and young people.”

Baroness Anne Longfield, Founder of the Center for Young Lives, welcomed the government’s initiatives but stressed the need for more comprehensive strategies. “The reality is that far too many children continue to suffer the effects of poor oral health, particularly in areas of higher deprivation,” she said. Longfield highlighted the importance of local oral health strategies and the need for a national plan to address the ongoing dental health crisis affecting millions of children.

Each report in the series is based on extensive research conducted by experts in children and young people’s health from various universities across the North of England, including members of the N8 Research Partnership. The policy recommendations within these reports have been influential in shaping the Government’s Opportunity Mission, which seeks to dismantle the link between socio-economic background and future success, ensuring that every child receives a strong start in life.

Professor Mark Mon-Williams, who edited the report series, emphasized the implications of the findings, stating, “The number of children with rotten teeth is a powerful indicator of the wider decay in child well-being that is affecting millions of young lives across the UK.” He reiterated the importance of collaboration between health, education, and policy sectors to achieve meaningful improvements for all children.

Further details, including the report update, original documents, and toolkits, are available on the N8 Research Partnership website.