The shame in a failure to introduce a comprehensive child dental health programme throughout all of the United Kingdom

Therrien A . More Children Having Teeth Out in Hospital in England. BBC News 2018. Available online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42662425 (last accessed 29 August 2018)

University of Glasgow. Childsmile, National Headline Data. 2017. Available online at: http://www.child-smile.org.uk/uploads/documents/5225-Childsmile%20National%20Headline%20Data%20-%20Nov2017.pdf (last accessed 1 July 2018)

ISD Scotland. National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP) 2017: Report of the 2017 Detailed National Dental Inspection Programme of Primary 7 Children and the Basic Inspection of Primary 1 and Primary 7 children. 2017. Available online at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Dental-Care/Publications/2017-10-24/2017-10-24-NDIP-Report.pdf (last accessed 29 August 2018)

BBC News. Childsmile Dental Scheme ‘Saves NHS £5m a Year’. 2015. Available online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-33052270 (last accessed 29 August 2018)

Public Health England. National Dental Epidemiology Programme for England: Oral Health Survey of Five-Year-Old Children 2017. A Report on the Inequalities Found in Prevalence and Severity of Dental Decay. 2018. Available online at: www.nwph.net/dentalhealth/ (last accessed 29 August 2018)

British Dental Association. Multi-Million-Pound Price of Inaction on Kids Teeth in Northern Ireland 2018. Available online at: https://bda.org/news-centre/press-releases/Multi-million-pound-price-of-inaction-on-kids-teeth-in-NI (last accessed 29 August 2018)

BBC News. Tooth Decay in Children Aged Five Falling, Report Shows. Available online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-40504891 (last accessed 8 August 2018)

Public Health England. Local Authority Area Variation in the Oral Health of Five-Year-Olds. Available online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/707179/Local_authority_area_variation_in_the_oral_health_of_five-year-olds.pdf (last accessed 29 August 2018)

Royal College of Surgeons. Children Hospitalised Unnecessarily From Tooth Decay, Experts Warn. 2015. Available online at: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/news-and-events/media-centre/press-releases/children-hospitalised-unnecessarily-from-tooth-decay/ (last accessed 29 August 2018)

Public Health England. Oral Health Improvement Programmes Commissioned by Local Authorities. 2018. Available online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/707180/Oral_health_improvement_programmes_commissioned_by_local_authorities.pdf (last accessed 29 August 2018)

Nuttall N Harker R . Impact of oral health. Children’s dental health in the United Kingdom 2003. London: The Stationery Office, 2004.

Local Government Association. Local Government Finance Settlement 2018/19. Available online at: https://www.local.gov.uk/local-government-finance-settlement-2018 (last accessed 6 July 2018)

GOV.UK. Launch of the Children’s Oral Health Improvement Programme Board. 2016. Available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/launch-of-the-childrens-oral-health-improvement-programme-board (last accessed 29 August 2018)

GOV.UK. Soft Drinks Industry Levy Comes Into Effect. 2018. Available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/soft-drinks-industry-levy-comes-into-effect (last accessed 29 August 2018)