BSPD

12/05/2026

BSPD welcomes the latest BRUSH research showing major supervised toothbrushing progress.

The BRUSH project has conducted a series of surveys of STB since 2022, and the survey published today reports that 81% of local authorities were delivering STB in 2025, compared with 48% in 2022 and 59% in 2024. Participation has more than doubled, rising from 106,273 children in 2022 to 238,636 in 2025.

Dr Zoe Marshman, BSPD Spokesperson and Professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Sheffield, said: “This new research shows a very encouraging and continued positive trajectory for supervised toothbrushing across England. Many of the recommendations called for in previous surveys have now been delivered, and we are seeing real momentum behind this vital preventative work. The BRUSH project has played a significant role in championing the evidence base and supporting local authorities to embed supervised toothbrushing in early years settings. Securing multi-year funding is a particularly important step forward. Sustainable investment is essential if we are to maintain progress and ensure that children in the most deprived communities benefit from this proven intervention.”

Read the full press release here: https://ow.ly/kqgB50YY5FC

11/05/2026

Congratulations to the BSPD 2026 Outstanding Innovation Award winners!

BSPD’s Outstanding Innovation Award (OIA) for 2026 has been awarded to Amrit Chauhan for toothPASTE: a co-designed intervention to enable parents of young autistic children to feel confident and empowered in looking after their teeth. The winning initiative delivers a free, practical resource created with families, professionals and researchers to support neurodiverse children to improve oral health through informed, accessible guidance.

The highly commended award for 2026 goes to Laura Timms for her child co-produced information video on silver diamine fluoride (SDF). The judging panel was particularly impressed by the meaningful involvement of children and young people throughout the research and development process.

Read our press release for more details here: https://ow.ly/HPG450YXAqL

University of Leeds The University of Sheffield

06/05/2026

We are delighted to be part of the EAPD Conference in Liverpool from 1st to 4th July 2026. A must-attend event for all those interested in paediatric dentistry.

Sign up today for what will be a really special EAPD conference held in historic Liverpool.
Find full details here: https://ow.ly/XUM750YGVuw

05/05/2026

Prabhleen Anand will be speaking at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show in Birmingham on 16th May.

A whistlestop tour of paediatric dentistry: tips for GDPs from a paediatric dentist. Supported by BSPD.

Her session will include tips on managing anxious children; evidence-based prevention strategies, including the use of SDF; and the basics of treatment planning for a child. Molar incisor hypomineralisation will also be covered.

Find out more and book your place here: https://ow.ly/5js750YUU7X



The Dentistry Show

30/04/2026

Dr Oosh Devalia, President, British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) said: "BSPD welcomes the To***co and Vapes Bill becoming law. Va**ng has crept into the lives of CYP at an alarming rate. It’s marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, but the reality is that we simply don’t know enough about its long-term effects, especially on developing bodies. What we do know is worrying—va**ng exposes young users to harmful chemicals, leads to ni****ne addiction, and is already showing potential links to gum disease, tooth decay, and oral lesions. That’s why I provided a statement on behalf of BSPD to support the To***co and Vapes Bill. We support stricter regulations on v**e marketing, flavours, and sales to minors. We also back investment into research that examines not just va**ng’s impact on lungs but also its effects on oral and systemic health. Va**ng is not a ‘harmless’ habit for children and young people, and we have a duty to protect them."

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Department of Health and Social Care - DHSC Ooshie Urshla

The landmark To***co and Vapes Act is now law.

Today’s children will never legally be sold ci******es.

We’re creating the UK's first smoke-free generation and protecting children from the harms of smoking and va**ng.

Read more: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tobacco-and-v**es-bill-becomes-law

28/04/2026

Read our latest blog by Dr Shannu Bhatia, BSPD Immediate Past-President & Hon consultant in Paediatric Dentistry, Cardiff University:

Opinion: Tooth Whitening in children and young people — Paediatric Dentists Speak Up for Our Patients: https://ow.ly/vMXT50YP15Z

27/04/2026

Don't miss the last in this series of webinars, tonight, 27th April, " The Prevention Shift and Incentivising Prevention." with Dr Simon Hearnshaw

For the third and concluding webinar in our 'Powered by Prevention' series hosted by The Dental Channel, Dr Simon Hearnshaw will be discussing how flexible commissioning and recent key NHS contract changes relating to oral health promotion support dental teams to focus on prevention. Simon was the winner of the Outstanding Innovation Award from the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) in 2021. He was instrumental in establishing the In-Practice Prevention programme operating in North Yorkshire and Humberside, which demonstrated how motivated dental practices can have a significant impact on the delivery of prevention.

Find out more and secure your place here: https://ow.ly/7afZ50YQqkK

23/04/2026

🚨THIS JUST IN: 9 in 10 parents support Free School Meals for All.

A recent poll with parents of primary-aged children in England found that:

🛒 Cost of living continues to hit our communities hard.

💥 Since the start of this school year, 1 in 3 parents have cut the quantity or variety of their food shop. Others are reducing or stopping children’s out-of-school and after-school activities just to manage.

🍎 Majority say Free School Meals for All would ease the pressure on family finances.

We stand with children, families and ’s call to

✍️ Sign the petition calling on the Prime Minister to extend Free School Meals to all primary school children: bit.ly/deliverthedinners

23/04/2026

Happy St George's Day to all our English colleagues, friends and members!

21/04/2026

Every day in the UK, there are about 180 operations to remove children’s teeth due to tooth decay.

We have pulled together a range of downloadable leaflets created to support patients and their parents to prevent tooth decay: https://ow.ly/GCrk50YBGj7

We also highly recommend our fun videos made with Dr Ranj - and Supertooth - which are on our Kidsvids page: https://ow.ly/hBGQ50YBGj6

Let's work together to improve the oral health of children in the UK!

17/04/2026

More than 500,000 children from families on Universal Credit will get Free School Meals from the start of the next school year 👏

That’s progress - but we have further to go.

Every child should have a hot meal at school.

Sign the petition asking the Prime Minister to finish the job and extend Free School Meals to every child in primary school: deliverthedinners.org.uk

No Child Left Behind National Education Union