Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps his Department is taking to improve children’s access to dental care.
Minister of Health: The Department of Health is taking a range of actions to improve children’s access to dental care. In April 2026, I announced an additional £8 million investment package in General Dental Services for 2026/27 to support access and sustainability of general dental practices across Northern Ireland. Included in this is targeted investment to improve children’s access via the continuation of the Enhanced Child Examination Scheme.
The Enhanced Child Examination Scheme provides children aged 0-10 years who are not registered with a dentist with a dental examination, personalised oral health advice and age-appropriate fluoride application to assist with preventing dental decay. More than 79,000 children have benefited from the scheme since June 2024.
The Happy Smiles evidence-based oral health programme is targeted at young children attending pre-school facilities in the 20% most socially deprived areas within each Health and Social Care Trust. I have been pleased to support a three-year expansion of this programme to offer supervised toothbrushing for Primary 1, 2 and 3 children enrolled in schools within the 20% most deprived areas. The Happy Smiles programme promotes good oral hygiene, healthy eating and the use of fluoride toothpaste to reduce the risk of dental decay.
The Dental Access Scheme continues to provide treatment for unregistered patients, including children, with an urgent or pressing dental condition.
Together these measures are designed to increase access, encourage early registration, improve prevention and address inequalities in children’s oral health outcomes.
ENDS
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