Key Points
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The concept of negative consent for school dental screening is acceptable to parents, teachers and school nurses, but a recent change in guidance has put an end to this practice.
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Current follow up procedures to ensure screened positive children access dental care were felt to be inadequate.
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The interviewees believed that children's dental health is ultimately the parent's responsibility and not the responsibility of schools or health professionals.
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School dental screening is unlikely to be an effective tool to improve population dental health.
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Now is the time to consider if the statutory access to schools and the resources supporting this national programme could be more efficiently used for some other purpose.
Abstract
Objectives To obtain insight into the views of relevant 'stakeholders' (parents, teachers and school nurses) in dental screening in schools.
Methods Eight schools in Chester and Ellesmere Port in the UK formed the setting of this study. A teacher from each school participated in one-to-one interviews, and focus groups for parents were carried out in each school. A focus group for school nurses working in the locality was also held. The same trained researcher undertook the interviews and focus groups; all interviews and focus groups were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed independently by two trained individuals.
Results Teachers, school nurses and parents all perceived the process of negative consent and the current dental examination as acceptable. The follow up procedure for identification of screened positive children was seen as inadequate. There was a strong feeling within each group that parents were ultimately responsible for their children's oral health and that state institutions had a limited role in ensuring children attended and received dental treatment.
Conclusions All of the groups considered it was primarily the responsibility of parents to take screened positive children to see a dentist. The NHS has limited influence on this process. This fact represents a significant challenge to improving the effectiveness of school dental screening.
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Watt, R. Dental screening in schools. Br Dent J 201, 767 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4814360
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4814360
