Why the UK needs to prioritise oral health for young people in the care system

Personal accounts have informed new research co-led by the University of Plymouth – in a bid to inspire policy makers into action
Dentist - image courtesy of Shutterstock

Why the UK needs to prioritise oral health for young people in the care system

Personal accounts have informed new research co-led by the University of Plymouth – in a bid to inspire policy makers into action

Research shows that care-experienced children and young people are more likely to have poor oral health and are less likely to go to the dentist than people who haven’t been in care. This can result not only in bad teeth, but other long-term health and social issues. 
Now the University of Plymouth has embarked on new research to explore the reasons underpinning why this is the case – with a view to finding solutions.
Funded by The Borrow Foundation and supported by the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry and Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE), the University’s research  took place to understand if and how care experienced children and young people look after their oral health, how easy it is for them to visit the dentist and what happens to them when they get there. 
Crucially, it’s the first study of its kind to involve care experienced young people directly, as well as health professionals. 

What did the new research show?

The research showed that barriers range from systemic issues – such as lack of appointment availability – to more situational issues such as a lack of stability, and the feedback has now resulted in a policy brief containing co-designed recommendations on the areas that need to be addressed:
  • strengthen oral health training and education
  • ensure timely and professional dental assessments
  • optimise treatment pathways
  • create trauma-informed clinic environments 
  • enhance oral health support for care leavers.
Read the policy brief

Improving Oral Health for Children in Care and Care Leavers 

The power of personal experience

Lawrence Lloyd is lead youth worker at Carefree Cornwall and has personal experience of the care system, having entered it aged nine. He moved from the North West to live with relatives in Newquay, Cornwall and, until his move to the county, his knowledge of oral health and the importance of toothbrushing was non-existent.

Looking back, oral health simply wasn’t something that was prioritised when I was growing up.

Basic things like having an appropriate toothbrush or developing a daily routine around brushing just weren’t in place. My toothbrush was so worn and well-used that it wasn’t suitable for daily brushing. 
People don’t realise that the health of your mouth is an indicator of overall health, so by keeping it healthy it can prevent additional problems

Lawrence Lloyd

Keen that others see the value of basic oral hygiene, Lawrence now takes a strong interest in his teeth and wider health of those he supports in his job. He also contributed to the recent study. 

My early experiences are a big part of why I now recognise the importance of good oral health and why I’ve been keen to contribute to research like this, while also being open to discussing these issues with the young people I work with today.

The more we can do to promote good oral health care among children in care, and care leavers, the better.
When I moved to Cornwall, agencies really cared and wanted to help with my oral health and ensure we could access the support we needed. 
I now want to translate that care and ambition into action – not just for us, but for all care experienced children across the UK.

What needs to happen

The brief also comes at a time when the government has announced free dental care for care experienced young people up until the age of 25. However, as the research and policy brief co-authors say, there need to be more dental places for that aspiration to materialise.  

The first-hand knowledge of care-experienced children and young people, alongside insights from carers and professionals, has shaped our approach to addressing the significant oral health inequalities they face.

Causes include trauma, instability, and systemic barriers, and potential solutions range from carer training, to targeted support for care leavers. 
The government’s move to extend free dental care to young people leaving care until 25 is welcome, but limited spaces mean many still struggle to access dentistry.
Coordinated action across health, education, social care, and dental services is essential if these recommendations are to help reduce oral health inequalities.

Martha PaisiDr Martha Paisi
Chief Investigator from the University of Plymouth and co-author of the policy brief

This research clarifies what we as paediatric dentists have long known – that children and young people in care face unacceptable barriers to good oral health. Their experiences must now drive meaningful change.

With the right training, trauma‑informed care, and properly resourced dental pathways, we can ensure EVERY child, whatever their family background, receives the timely, compassionate dental care they deserve. 
Care‑experienced children are telling us in their own words, what needs to change and it is our collective responsibility to listen and remove the barriers that prevent them accessing this support. BSPD is ready to support stakeholders to make this happen.

Dr Oosh Devalia, President of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD)

More information

Plymouth Sunny Smiles Project. Logo on pop art background.

Read more about the research into dental care for care-experienced young people

Dental students treating patients in New George Street clinic

Read about our newly-opened Dental Education Practice

Devonport Dental Education Facility

See all courses in our Peninsula Dental School