HC Deb 03 March 1980 vol 980 cc68-9W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to introduce a national dental health programme in order to promote better dental health among children especially in those areas where water is not yet fluoridated.

Sir George Young

Responsibility nationally for furthering health education rests with the Health Education Council, which has produced a policy document "The Scientific Basis of Dental Health Education" on measures which the community and individuals, including children, should take for the prevention of dental disease. This publication provides authoritative guidance for health educators throughout the country and a valuable basis for the publicity material distributed by the council on a national scale. Moreover, the council attaches considerable importance to strengthening its collaboration with dental organisations on the production and evaluation of material on dental health education.

Much dental health education is also undertaken in schools, as part of the health education curriculum, with the co-operation of head teachers. For this purpose the Schools Council and the Health Education Council work in close collaboration.