Why is this HEAT target important?
This target reflects one aspect of the contribution NHSScotland is making towards improving Scottish children's oral health. It is complemented by a variety of preventive programmes involving both general dental practitioners and the community as a whole. Dental registrations are an indication of how accessible dental care is to pre-school children and therefore their ability to access preventive care in general dental practice as the programmes develop.
Fluoride varnishing aims to increase the number of children who are decay free at age 5 years, particularly addressing inequalities. Dental decay is almost totally preventable but is the single most common reason to admit children to hospital in Scotland and accounts for significant pain and discomfort to the child and causes absence from school.
How are we performing?
Target due for delivery by March 2014
Child Fluoride Varnish
The target is to achieve at least 60 per cent of 3 and 4 year old children in each Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile to receive at least two applications of fluoride varnish (FV) per year by March 2014.
National data systems are set up and data is expected to be published in 2011.
Further Information
Related National Outcomes