The Office for the Chief Dental Officer are pleased to share Starting Well Core guidance for commissioners ‘Starting Well Core: 0-2s dental access and prevention framework’.
The guide appears on the NHSE/I Website in two locations:
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/dentistry/smile4life/starting-well-core/where all SWC information is held and at
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/dentistry/dentistry-publications/ along with our other guides and notices.
Please note that this is the final version of the publication which supersedes any previous drafts circulated.
Starting Well Core is a commissioning approach designed to promote dental access and preventive care for children aged 0-2 years. The 2019 NHS Long Term Plan has identified Starting Well Core as a model of care which supports children’s health development as part of a strong start in life.
The initiative aims to reduce health inequalities and improve oral health for children aged 0-2 years. The objectives of the initiative include:
- Increasing dental access and attendance for children aged 0-2 years;
- Promoting delivery of evidence-based preventive care in practice, including interventions such as oral health and dietary advice, support for oral health behaviour change, and fluoride interventions; and
- Raising public and professional awareness to promote the timely attendance of children aged 0-2 years.
The Framework has been developed to provide NHS England & NHS Improvement commissioners with a method of commissioning the offer within the existing dental contract. Dental commissioners working with Local Dental Networks, Dental Public Health colleagues, and wider stakeholders may use this publication to support the development of a local implementation approach that best suits the needs of their local population.
