Government response leaves unanswered questions on cleft dental care

The Oral Health Foundation has welcomed the Government’s acknowledgement of concerns about access to dental care for people born with a cleft but says further work is needed to understand why many patients continue to experience difficulties accessing routine NHS dental services.
The response follows a petition led by CLAPA (Cleft Lip and Palate Action), which called for improved access to NHS dentistry for people born with a cleft.
Rachael England, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Oral Health Foundation, said: “We welcome the Government’s acknowledgement of the concerns raised by CLAPA and its commitment to improving access to NHS dentistry. However, the response largely describes how dental services for people born with a cleft are intended to operate, rather than addressing the experiences reported by many patients and families.
“The important question is not whether pathways exist on paper, but whether they are working in practice. The evidence gathered by CLAPA suggests that … Source by Oral Health Foundation Read More