Oral health: policy context
Overarching Scottish Government and NHSScotland health policy is currently governed by Better health, better care: Action plan 2007, which is centred on:
- Early years and child health
- Improving health and tackling health inequalities
- Improving health service quality, defined by the domains patient-centred, effective, efficient, safe, timely, equitable.
There is a specific HEAT target for oral health that at least 60% of 3 and 4 year old children in each Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile should receive at least two applications of fluoride varnish (FV) per year by March 2014. Fluoride varnish provides extra protection against tooth decay when used in addition to brushing teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste.
NHS boards have also been working towards the Scottish Government's target that 60% of P1 and P7 children should have no obvious caries experience by 2010. By 2010 most boards had met this target for P1 children, and information due to be published during 2011 will show progress for P7 children.
Childsmile is a programme to improve the dental health of children in Scotland and is split into three main elements:
- Childsmile Core programme, which involves nursery and school toothbrushing schemes, and distributes free toothbrushes and fluoride toothpaste in the first five years of life
- Childsmile Practice programme, involving clinical prevention activities
- Childsmile Nursery and School programmes, involving the application of fluoride varnish to nursery school children's teeth.