Children And Parents Urged To Complete Dental Survey

The government says getting details on how often children go to the dentist and how they care for their teeth will help inform work to improve access to care.

A survey can be filled in online before the end of next month.

The questions are split into primary and secondary school age.

It will ask about:

• Your children's oral health
• Oral healthcare
• Visiting the dentist

Jackie Tardivel says this will help them to understand the current situation.

"There is a lot of information and data on-island in relation to smoking, alcohol, and obesity, but there is very little information collected around oral health.

"As part of our strategy development, we want to collect information on how children and parents are maintaining good oral health and how often they are visiting the dentist.

"We need to know how they're caring for their teeth, whether they're using fluoride toothpaste, whether they are avoiding sugary snacks and sweets that will reduce tooth decay.

"With long waiting lists within the dental department, we know it may be difficult for some children to access dental care because of the waiting list and the cost involved in visiting a private dentist.

"In terms of the strategy, we want to look to reduce inequalities in accessing dental care."

There are plans to invest in children's dental health next year in response to the impact of Covid-19 and the increased risk of disease.

The government says a health and social recovery fund will be used for this work to provide preventative learning, assessment, and treatments improving outcomes, particularly in low-income families.

"I welcome this important work being undertaken to inform and improve the future of dental health services for Islanders and I’d urge parents to spend a few minutes answering the short survey and asking their children to do so also." - Deputy Richard Renouf, Health Minister.

The survey can be found here.