The pandemic has shone a harsh spotlight on some long-standing issues including the persistent and immoral inequalities we see in children’s oral health. However, a reduction in the number of children undergoing dental treatment under general anaesthesia was inevitable given that specialist teams were redeployed, and theatre spaces repurposed to support the nation-wide Covid-response. Our members, many of whom were redeployed to support the Covid response, are working hard to recover children’s dental services equitably and fairly but this will take time. In some regions teams are working at 180% of pre-Covid capacity as the profession strives to reduce the currently unacceptable waiting times for procedures under general anaesthesia.

In response to news today that a school in West Yorkshire has brought in dental charity support, Professor Claire Stevens CBE, BSPD Spokesperson said: BSPD believes that every child and young person should be able to access preventively focused, NHS dental services by their first birthday – a Dental Check by One (https://dentalcheckbyone.co.uk) and from thereon have a ‘dental home’ – an ongoing relationship with their care provider. We recognise that the current dental contract doesn’t work for children.

A new Ukrainian language version of one of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry’s (BSPD) key resources for parents and carers – the BSPD Practical Guide to Children’s Teeth – is now available for free on the BSPD website.

Joint-winners, both with initiatives supporting the wellbeing of looked-after children, have been awarded the BSPD 2022 Outstanding Innovation Award (OIA). Jemma Facenfield, is a co-winner for her ‘Dental Clinic for looked-after children and adolescents’ and Lucy Ridsdale joins her as a winner for her initiative – ‘Dental Care Pathways for looked-after children’.

A paper based on findings from the 2016 'Child protection eleven-years-on' survey of BSPD members' safeguarding practice has been published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (IJPD). The manuscript: ‘Paediatric dentists’ role in child protection practice: progress over time?’ is authored by Dr Jenny Harris, Professor Sarah Baker and Dr Claire Elcock, of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield.