According to a paper published in the British Dental Journal (BDJ), the number of supervised toothbrushing programmes (STPs) has increased. The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) has welcomed the report but said more must be done nationally.

The authors aimed to “establish the current level of provision of STPs in England, describe changes over time, understand associations with predictor variables, and summarise key barriers and facilitators to their implementation.”

The survey found that there have been increases in the provision of STPs since 2022. Despite this progress, several barriers were identified, including funding and capacity.

The BSPD said more needs to be done to ensure children from the most deprived areas receive the support they need to improve paediatric oral health in England.

Shannu Bhatia, BSPD president, said, “Whilst BSPD welcomes the progress outlined in the Brush report, we are looking to the government to implement the national programme of supervised toothbrushing, targeting the most deprived areas that was promised.”

Much of the implementation of STPs relies on collaboration across organisations and local communities. The BSPD has urged the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to deliver on the government’s pledge to fund targeted supervised toothbrushing at a national level.

Shannu added, “The proof that early years’ prevention works as an intervention is clear, and the BSPD has been calling for targeted supervised toothbrushing nationally for over a decade. We now must move to the implementation stage as quickly as possible. We are ready to play our part.”

BSPD added that it is encouraging to see the targeted approach to STPs, which aims to reach the right children - those who are most likely to suffer dental decay.

The organisation stated that it has been campaigning for years to achieve a targeted approach to STPs. BSPD believes that such schemes are not only the best method for ensuring that those most in need receive the preventative support they require, but also the most effective approach for the public purse.

Schools have started to prepare for the national roll-out that was part of the Labour government’s manifesto pledge. The BSPD said it awaits the implementation of this policy, and it is poised to support policymakers.

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