RESEARCH out of Birmingham University has found that only three per cent of under-ones in England attended the dentist and in some regions it was than less one per cent.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has said the figures are indicative of a failure from successive governments to offer a joined-up approach to the oral health of children in England. The BDA supports the idea of getting children to a dentist early, to encourage good habits and embed a preventative approach. It has called for a concerted approach covering primary schools and nurseries, GPs, health visitors and other care providers.
BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: "Baby teeth matter, and getting very young kids attending requires joined-up action. Sadly ministers have offered little more than posters to pop up in dental practices.
"Preaching to the converted will not cut it. We need real engagement in schools and nurseries, and Scotland and Wales are already leading the way. Kids in England deserve better than a second-class service."
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