Oral health (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

• Under the terms of the Health and Social Care Act (2012) upper tier and unitary authorities became responsible for improving the health, including the oral health, of their populations from April 2013. From 1 October 2015 commissioning responsibility for the Healthy Child Programme for zero to five-year-olds transferred from NHS England to local government. This included the commissioning of health visitors, who lead and support delivery of preventive programmes for infants and children, including providing advice on oral health, weaning and advice on breastfeeding reducing the risk of tooth decay.
• NICE public health guidance (PH55) makes a number of recommendations aimed at improving oral health, many of which are underway in South Tyneside.
• One of the most effective ways to improve oral health is to embed it in all children's services at strategic and operational levels. Health visitors and school nurses are well integrated with the oral health promotion lead. The service specification for the oral health promotion lead may have a heavier focus on work with health visitors and school nurses. Oral health should be one of the priorities as the 0-19s service and the children and family integrated teams are developed. Health visitors should be trained both in oral health promotion and in how to access primary care dental services and first time dental examinations should be encouraged as early as possible.
• In South Tyneside, maternity staff, health visiting, neonatal unit and children's centre staff have received training to implement the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative standards. There is also ongoing training of breastfeeding peer supporters (women who have breastfed their own children and wish to support other women who chose to breastfeed). Breastfeeding support groups and infant feeding workshops are also held in the Children's Centres across the borough.
• A whole school approach to improving oral health is already underway through the Healthy Schools programme.
• Adults may be targeted within workplace settings through the 'Better Health At Work' award and adults in care settings could receive oral health advice. 
• Many public service environments promote oral health through the provision of drinking water and planning approaches to tackle the availability of poor quality food from takeaway outlets will also have a positive impact upon diet. Efforts will continue to ensure that oral health is promoted where practical and the food environment is supportive of making the healthy choice easier to make.

Community dental service

• The community dental services (salaried dental services) are the main providers of special care dentistry and specialist paediatric dental services. The services provide primary care for people who cannot be treated in the general dental services.