Childhood check-up campaign
Dental professionals in Scotland urged to promote DCby1
A campaign by the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry, which is showing signs of success in combating early childhood caries (ECC) in England and Wales, is looking to have the same effect in Scotland.
Dental Check by One (DCby1) encourages parents and carers to take their children to a dentist for a check-up by the time they turn one.
Claire Stevens (pictured right), BSPD’s spokesperson, said: “Dental Check by One was launched by BSPD in 2017. Its aim is to reduce the high levels of caries leading to high numbers of children requiring a general anaesthetic.
“During 2017-18, a total of 26,111 children in England aged between five and nine had a tooth – sometimes multiple teeth or full clearances – extracted under general anaesthetic.
“The annual cost to the NHS of these hospital episodes is more £50m. I am happy to say that there are early signs, however, that more children aged two or under are seeing a dentist in England.”
Claire added: “Scotland has Childsmile and Wales has Designed to Smile, and both include advice on getting children to the dentist by the age of one. The former CDO for Scotland was at the launch of DCby1 and we are delighted to say endorsed it. What’s important about DCby1 is that it goes beyond dentistry and is being promoted by health visitors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. We urge readers of Scottish Dental to do everything they can to promote the campaign.”
Resources can be found at www.bspd.co.uk/resources
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