Norfolk NHS announces more funding to tackle dental crisis
It follows a damning report earlier this year which found Norfolk’s five-year-olds have the worst rates of tooth decay in the east of England
Health bosses in Norfolk are taking emergency action to tackle a dental crisis in children.
The Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board are offering up to £20,000 of funding for the next six months for dentists to visit schools and teach children about how to keep their teeth healthy.
It follows a damning report earlier this year which found Norfolk’s five-year-olds have the worst rates of tooth decay in the east of England.
Under the initiative, dentists will be able to work with schools to offer advice to young people for how to brush their teeth properly and offer other oral health advice.
West Norfolk councillor Alexandra Kemp, who has been campaigning for improvements to dentistry in the region said: “This is great news as there is a huge need for this to be taught in schools.
“We have to get a grip on this problem and children’s dental health needs to be prioritised.”
A lack of NHS dentists in the county has been a longstanding problem, making it difficult for parents to take their children to see health experts.
According to Ms Kemp, the cost of living crisis has also meant more and more parents are asking food banks for toothpaste and toothbrushes for children in King’s Lynn – one of the areas with the worst rate of tooth decay in the county.
A spokesman for NHS Norfolk and Waveney said: “Improving children and young people’s oral health is an important consideration with our recently published short-term dental plan, and will be a key priority in the ICB’s longer-term strategy to improve patient access to dental services and improve oral health outcomes for our local population.”