Oral Health Needs Assessment

17 December 2010

A key element of health needs assessment is epidemiological data.  In this respect the dental world in England is very fortunate as high quality, standardised surveys of oral health are carried out at regular intervals.  In 2007/08 a caries survey of a random sample of five year olds was carried out and in 2008/09 twelve year olds were surveyed for caries and orthodontic need and demand.  The results are available from: http://www.nwph.net/dentalhealth/

PCTs are required by statute to commission these surveys which are usually carried out locally by trained and calibrated examiners from the PCT DS, using BASCD standards and coordinated across England by The Dental Observatory with the North West PHO.

The data are shown at PCT level both in a table and in an interactive format.  Such data are essential to inform commissioning decisions and, where large enough samples are drawn, local analysts can use them to provide key data.