To ask the Minister of Health to detail his plans to address inequalities in dental care.

Good progress has been made over the last four decades, however oral health inequalities remain a significant public health issue in Northern Ireland. The impact of poor oral health disproportionately affects vulnerable and socially disadvantaged individuals and groups in society.

Reducing inequalities in oral health is a huge challenge. It needs sustained collaboration across departments and agencies, local government, voluntary sector, and with communities themselves to address the factors that impact on oral health locally and regionally.

Making Life Better is the overarching strategic framework for public health through which the Executive committed to creating the conditions for individuals, families and communities to take greater control over how they live, and be enabled and supported to lead healthy lives. This clearly recognises that health and wellbeing, and health inequalities, are not just the outcome of the clinical services we provide but are in fact primarily shaped by factors including age, family, community, workplace, beliefs and traditions, economics, and physical and social environments.

The Chief Dental Officer (CDO) has established Oral Health Options Groups to allow for the consideration and development of further interventions for the two most urgent groups at present; namely, children and older people. These groups are considering the contributory factors to oral health inequalities at a population level as well as considering how oral health behaviours can be improved for individuals. The outcomes from these groups will be considered in the coming months.

All future plans will have at their centre the prevention of oral disease and promotion of oral health. The CDO has recently been involved in the publication and early implementation work of the Delivering Better Oral Health guidance, which seeks to ensure a consistent UK wide approach to prevention of oral diseases throughout the population.