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 (a) prevalence of oral health inequality and (b) impact of such inequality on people from minoritised and deprived communities.

The most recent report on oral health inequalities in England was published by the Government in March 2021. The report found that there are inequalities in oral health in England across different socioeconomic positions, geographic areas, protected characteristics and vulnerable groups. The report concluded that there is a paucity of information for some groups and recommended that more evidence is needed to fully understand inequalities in oral health in England.

As part of the annual National Dental Epidemiology Programme, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities co-ordinates dental surveys that report levels of oral health of population groups. These surveys report tooth decay by level of deprivation and ethnic groups.