Norfolk councillors call for school dental services to be reintroduced
Councillors in Norfolk have called for school dental services to be reintroduced to plug gaps in NHS provision.
Council members are pushing for dental professionals to visit schools to promote preventative care and reduce rates of decay as parents struggle to make appointments for their children.
Norfolk is one of the worst affected areas in the country in terms of dental access, with chronic shortages of dentists and long waiting lists for routine and non-urgent treatment. In the absence of regular checks for children, councillors have proposed the reintroduction of school visits. The aim is to improve education and encourage children to take good care of their teeth in a bid to boost oral health standards and lower the risk of cavities and premature tooth loss.
Liberal Democrat councillor for North Walsham East, Lucy Shires, described the initiative as “true prevention work in action” and explained that a shortage of routine checks is contributing to higher risks of problems down the line. Ms Shires had been told that the NHS would be responsible for funding, however, at a recent meeting of the Norfolk County Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee, Jessica Bendon, of NHS England, said that school services were the responsibility of County Hall due to the fact that they fall under preventative care.
Several councillors across all political parties support the idea of school-based services in the region.
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