The new government’s commitment to contract reform includes reference to a focus on prevention,27 and also to a programme of supervised toothbrushing for three, four, and five–year olds “most in need”.28 Tooth decay is a leading cause of hospital admissions for children in this country,29 and as DHSC told us in the session, prevention is preferable to needing treatment from a dentist.30 Strengthening preventative oral healthcare measures is an important accompaniment to ensuring access to den...

The new government’s commitment to contract reform includes reference to a focus on prevention,27 and also to a programme of supervised toothbrushing for three, four, and five–year olds “most in need”.28 Tooth decay is a leading cause of hospital admissions for children in this country,29 and as DHSC told us in the session, prevention is preferable to needing treatment from a dentist.30 Strengthening preventative oral healthcare measures is an important accompaniment to ensuring access to dentists, particularly for children. The government has now published further information on its proposed supervised toothbrushing scheme,31 and has confirm Type: conclusion | Number: 12 | Response status: accepted Government response: 1.8 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented: December 2024 1.9 The Plan for Change has already set out the government’s commitment to addressing the main underlying drivers of ill-health and tackling persistent inequalitie