Public Health will be carrying out a dental health survey of five year olds in the Isle of Man this spring.
The survey will take place between the 22 April and 3 May 2024 and will involve a short dental check for children whose parents or carers have consented.
Parents or carers of children who are five years old between 22 April and 3May 2024 should receive a letter and consent form from their school asking them to take part.
For those who agree to take part, their child’s teeth will be checked in school by the dental survey team. The dental survey is not like a regular dental check-up. It will only take a few minutes and if the team does find anything that needs to be examined further, they will get in touch by letter.
The dental survey takes place every other year and helps Public Health to understand the oral health needs of children in the Isle of Man. Previous years have seen only a randomly selected sample of schools participate, as part of the UK National Dental Epidemiology Programme.
This year, the sample will be expanded to include all 5 year olds in the Isle of Man to achieve a more accurate reflection of oral health in this age group.
Interim Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr. Toyin Amusan said:
‘The dental survey allows us to collect important information to assess the oral health of children in the Isle of Man. The results will act as a benchmark for future work of improving oral health in this age group, and assist in the planning of dental services.
The data gathered also helps us develop the Island’s core dataset to build a picture of the factors affecting health and wellbeing in children and adults. We encourage parents or carers to complete the consent form when you receive it. You will be helping us build a more informative picture of oral health in the Isle of Man.’
Further information can be found on the Oral Health webpage.
