BDA warns of obstacles to improved dental health in Northern Ireland

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 10 Jan 2005 - 9:00 PDT

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The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned that proposals to improve the poor oral health of Northern Ireland will require an increased focus on public health, a culture change in the way dentistry is provided and improved funding. Submitting its response to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's An Oral Health Strategy for Northern Ireland, the BDA has called for 'urgent, effective, concerted action' to tackle the poor oral health experienced by Northern Ireland's population.

The BDA's response to the Oral Health Strategy identifies nine key areas that must be addressed if the recommendations contained in it are to be implemented. These include extra investment to fund more dentists and professionals complementary to dentistry, an increased focus on public health campaigns and a sustained effort to tackle health-damaging lifestyles.

Claudette Christie, BDA Director for Northern Ireland, said:

"Northern Ireland has a very poor oral health record that needs to be addressed urgently and the Oral Health Strategy is a welcome step towards doing exactly that. To ensure that these ambitious proposals succeed, we need to see more investment in dentistry, more dentists and dental staff, a broader approach to public health campaigns and the enabling of a more integrated approach to health by dentists and other health professionals."

The BDA also highlighted the impact of oral health on wider health issues and reaffirmed its support for measures including the targeted fluoridation of water supplies and school-based schemes to give children a healthy start.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. An Oral Health Strategy for Northern Ireland is available at: http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/publications/2004/oralhealth/OralStrat.pdf. The BDA response is available at: http://www.bda.org/about/docs/NI OHS Response.pdf.

2. The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association for dentists in the UK. It represents over 20,000 dentists working in general practice, in community and hospital settings, in academia and research, and in the armed forces.

3. For further information, please contact the BDA's media team on 020 7563 4145/6.

http://www.bda-dentistry.org.uk/

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