Dental surgeons respond to RCPCH’s State of Child Health report

Responding to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s (RCPCH) State of Child Health 2026, Professor Martyn Cobourne, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said:

"The state of children’s oral health across the UK is a serious cause for concern, with this report showing the reality that the place where a child grows up represents a significant determinant on their health.

“The report rightly highlights the impact of poor oral health on children’s lives, and reinforces the need for proven prevention measures, such as supervised toothbrushing. In Wales, the Designed to Smile programme has played an important role in improving children's oral health, but with progress in reducing dental decay having stalled in recent years, it is vital that the next Welsh Government reviews the programme to understand why and identify how it can be strengthened to deliver better outcomes.

“Alongside these vital steps, fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract and meaningful new investment will be essential to improve access to NHS dental care, support the dental workforce and deliver better oral health outcomes for children.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Read the report: RCPCH | The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
2. The Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to enabling dentists and specialists to provide patients with the highest possible standards of practice and care. 
3. The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams, at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research and championing the best outcomes for patients.
4. To reduce the number of children being admitted to hospital for tooth decay, the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England calls on government to roll out the Supervised Toothbrushing programme year-round; The Supervised Toothbrushing programme should be implemented year-round to ensure that as many children as possible benefit and establish positive brushing habits that they can continue at home. Children should brush their teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and see a dentist regularly. 
5. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6060; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk.  For out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.