Every year we collect information on the health of peoples’ teeth. This is called a dental survey. The information helps to plan NHS dental services in your area.
This year the survey is collecting information about the health of the teeth of 3 year old children.
If you receive an information sheet it means that your child’s setting has been randomly selected to participate, has agreed to this and set a date with the dental team to visit and your child is eligible and due to be attend the setting on the day of the visit. However, your child will not participate in the survey without your written agreement.
If you agree, a dental team will have a quick look at your child’s teeth at their early years setting on a set date. This only takes a few minutes. New gloves and clean mirrors will be used for each child. No treatment will be provided. You can come along if you like. Your child will not be forced to have a check if they do not want to.
This survey does not replace your child’s regular dental appointments. You should still take your child to these.
You can see what the dental checks look at by watching this video.
If you are happy for your child to take part, please complete and sign the agreement form given to you by your child’s early years setting, and return it to them.
If you agree to your child taking part, the early years setting will provide the dental team with your child’s name, date of birth, sex at birth, whether they are one of a multiple birth, ethnicity and postcode. These details will be used to check they are the right age to take part and will also be linked to your child’s early years setting dental survey check.
We use this to see if there are changes in children’s dental health in different groups and different places where they live to understand patterns in dental health.
The information will then be sent safely to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
This is not like a full dental check-up. If the dental team find something which needs a closer look they will let you know by letter.
What will the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities do with the information?
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities works to improve health for everybody. The Department of Health and Social Care is the data controller for your child’s information.
The details of the children who take part will be studied. A report will be written. Your child’s dental information may be linked to other health information about them. No information will be published that identifies your child.
Information about your child is kept securely:
• in files in our offices
• on our computers
Under the General Data Protection Regulation, the lawful bases we rely on for using your child’s information are:
• we have a legal obligation
• we need it to perform a public task
The information may be shared by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities with other organisations, such as universities. Names, dates of birth and postcodes will be removed so that no child can be identified.
We keep your child’s details for 3 years then we will destroy it securely.
Follow this link, to read the Department of Health and Social Care’s privacy notice.
Follow this link to read about the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
Your Rights
- You can ask us to see the information we hold about your child.
- You can ask us to make changes to information we hold about your child.
- You can ask us to delete information about your child.
- You can ask for copies of the information we hold about your child.
- You can ask us to stop processing information about your child.