Children's Dental Health Survey, 2013

The <i>Children’s Dental Health (CDH) Survey</i> series is a set of national surveys of children’s dental health that have been carried out every 10 years since 1973. Since its inception, the survey has provided important information to underpin the development and monitoring of dental health care for children. <br>
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The 1973 survey established baseline information on the state of the dental health of children in England and Wales. The survey coverage was then extended in 1983 to include Scotland and Northern Ireland. The 2013 survey covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. (The UK Data Archive currently does not hold the 1973, 1983 and 1993 surveys).<br>
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The <i>Children’s Dental Health Survey, 2013</i>, commissioned by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, is the fifth survey in the series. The 2013 survey provides statistical estimates on the dental health of 5, 8, 12 and 15 year old children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, using data collected during dental examinations conducted in schools on a random sample of children by NHS dentists and nurses. The survey measures changes in oral health since the last survey in 2003, and provides information on the distribution and severity of oral diseases and conditions in 2013. <br>
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The survey oversampled schools with high rates of free school meal eligibility to enable comparison of children from lower income families (children eligible for free school meals in 2013) with other children of the same age, in terms of their oral health, and related perceptions and behaviours. The 2013 survey dental examination was extended so that tooth decay (dental caries) could be measured across a range of detection thresholds. This reflects the way in which the detection and management of tooth decay has evolved towards more preventive approaches to care, rather than just providing treatment for disease. This survey provides estimates for dental decay across the continuum of caries, including both restorative and preventive care needs. Complementary information on the children's experiences, perceptions and behaviours relevant to their oral health was collected from parents and 12 and 15 year old children using self-completion questionnaires. The self-completion questionnaire for older children was introduced for the 2013 survey.<br>
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Further information is available from the <a class="external" href="http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB17137" title="Children's Dental Health Survey, 2013">Health and Social Care Information Centre</a> survey webpage.<br>
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