Faculty of Dental Surgery responds to the Clinical Standard for Oral Health and Dental Care for Children and Young People
23 Jun 2026
Responding to the publication of new clinical standards for oral health and dental care for children and young people, Professor Martyn Cobourne, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said:
“With tooth decay the leading cause of hospital admissions among 5–9-year-olds in the UK, and wide variation in decay-related extractions across the country, it is right to see a renewed focus on prevention and improving access to dental healthcare for children.
“However, these standards will only make a difference if there are enough dental professionals to deliver them. This means investing in a strong NHS dental workforce and ensuring that reforms to the NHS dental contract go far enough to support appropriate care for children. Without that, NHS dentistry will continue to struggle to meet demand and deliver these standards in practice.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. NHS England » Clinical standard: oral health and dental care for children and young people
2. Tooth decay leading cause of hospital admissions among young children — Royal College of Surgeons
3. Short statistical commentary for hospital tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds 2025 - GOV.UK
4. The Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to enabling dentists and specialists to provide patients with the highest possible standards of practice and care.
5. The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams, at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research and championing the best outcomes for patients.
6. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6047; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.