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Written question asked by Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 10 November 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. It was answered by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Monday, 17 November 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Dental Health: Screening

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to embed routine oral health (a) screening and (b) signposting in (i) GP, (ii) pharmacy, (iii) community and (iv) other NHS primary care health checks.

Answer

Dental screening is not recommended due to a lack of evidence that it effectively reduces dental disease. Professionals working in general practice, pharmacy, and community-based services have an important role to help people prevent oral disease and access dental services.

Evidence-based advice has been published to support health professionals to improve and maintain the oral and general health of their patients or members of the public. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention.

Other resources are also available including those for adults and children, which are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-oral-health-applying-all-our-health/adult-oral-health-applying-all-our-health#further-reading-resources-and-good-practice

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-oral-health-applying-all-our-health.

Signposting to dental services should follow local commissioning arrangements. Our commitment to neighbourhood health will provide further opportunities to bring together teams of professionals closer to people’s home in the community, which could include dental therapists and dental nurses.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
89332
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Screening Dental health
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk