Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on childhood oral health.

Currently no such assessment has been made.

The National Dental Epidemiology Programme annual oral health surveys which include children’s oral health have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. On 18 March 2020, the 2019-2020 oral health survey of three-year-olds was suspended following advice regarding social distancing and protecting older people and vulnerable adults. Data that had already been collected will be published in spring 2021. The 2020-2021 survey of five-year-olds has been postponed as a result of COVID-19 and will be carried out in 2021-2022.