A national survey of Supervised Toothbrushing Programmes in England

Introduction: Supervised toothbrushing programmes (STP) are a cost-effective public health intervention reducing tooth decay and health inequalities in children. However, the uptake of STP in England is unknown. This study aimed to establish the current provision of STP across England and summarise the barriers and facilitators to their implementation.

Methods: An online survey was sent to dental public health consultants, local authority (LA) oral health leads, and public health practitioners across England. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Barriers and facilitators were analysed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Results: Information was received for 141 LAs across England. Approximately half implemented a STP (N=68/141). Most STPs were commissioned by LAs (N=44/68) and adopted a targeted approach (N=54/68). Barriers to implementation were: (1) Funding; (2) Communication & Engagement; (3) Relative priority; (4) Logistics; (5) Capacity. Facilitators were: (1) Integrated & mandated public health approach; (2) Collaboration & Ongoing Support; (3) Clarity; (4) Flexibility; (5) Available resources; (6) Ownership & Empowerment.

Conclusion: The current provision of STPs is varied, and although there are challenges to their implementation, there are also areas of good practice where these challenges have been overcome.