Dental Health - Government

Government

Dental Health GovernmentThis section provides links to Government consultations and strategies relevant to dentistry, the Welsh Assembly Government's dental pages, relevant initiatives, publications and letters.
 
The Chief Dental Officer (CDO) of the Welsh Assembly Government provides professional dental advice to the public and health professionals. The CDO's web pages also offer links to up to date information and guidance on key issues to dental health professionals in Wales. CDO Letters are issued to inform dentists of policy changes and to advise on key issues relating to dentistry in Wales. Welsh Health Circulars and Ministerial Letters provide further guidance on dentistry and oral health for the National Health Service in Wales.

Strategy Documents

The purpose of Routes to Reform is to set the Welsh Assembly Government strategy for primary dental care in Wales and the aims to strengthen and develop dental services. It also aims to support primary dental care teams in the work they undertake in providing dental care and improving oral health. You can download the document below:
 
Bridges to the Future, the Welsh Assembly Government's consultation on salaried dental services in Wales, closed on 31 December 2005. The consultation set out proposals on the future organisation of Salaried Primary Dental Services in Wales and on career pathways within those services

There is a widening gap between the oral health of children from the least well off and the most well off families in Wales. Under the Eradicating Child Poverty in Wales – Measuring Success strategy, the dental targets set are that by 2020 the dental health of 5 and 12 year olds in the most deprived fifth of the population will improve to that presently found in the middle fifth.

 

Consultations


Initiatives/Programmes

Designed to Smile is a national Oral Health Improvement programme to improve the dental health of children in Wales. It is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and was initially launched on the 30th January 2009 in both North and South Wales as a three year pilot.

Health Challenge Wales is a national health improvement initiative which signposts members of the public to information or activity to help them improve their own health. It also engages with organisations to look after the health of their staff and customers.The website pages below provide information on what we can do to maintain good oral health.