The Hartlepool dental practice offering free check ups for children to avert NHS 'crisis'

Hartlepool Dental & Implant Centre, in Victoria Road, will provide the checks to local children from March 1 to help combat the growing problem of seeing an NHS dentist.

The move follows the practice’s clinical director, Dr Caroline Jackson, working behind the scenes for over a year with Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer to help avert a “crisis” in NHS dentistry.

Children living in poorer areas are said to be more than three-and-a-half times more likely to have a tooth taken out than those in more affluent areas with Hartlepool having the second highest rate of child poverty in the North East.

Data also indicates that Hartlepool has the 11th highest level of deprivation linked to income in England, meaning that one in four people are experiencing deprivation.

Dr Jackson said: “Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admissions in children aged 6-10 years old.

“We want to change the prognosis for the children in our community.

“It’s not right or fair that if you are a child in a poorer household you are more likely to have a tooth extracted.”

The check ups will be available to children regardless of whether they have been to the practice in the past and the practice will provide appointments on evenings and weekends.

Dr Jackson was invited to the Department of Health in Westminster to meet with Mrs Mortimer and the Minister for Dentistry to discuss the issues facing NHS Dentistry including access.

Mrs Mortimer said: “It’s through collaborative working with local professionals like Caroline that we can find workable solutions for the issues on the ground and Hartlepool’s dental services will be able to come to a fairer solution for patients faster.

“I welcome Caroline's practice opening their doors to children for check-ups. This is another example of Caroline’s passion to help as many people as possible during a period of strained dental services across the country.”

Dr Jackson and her team are also going to be visiting local primary schools to teach children how to look after their teeth to “give something back to our community”.