British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD) coordinated National Health Service surveys of caries prevalence 1985/6-1995/6

Abstract

Background: The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD) has, in conjunction with the National Health Service (NHS), been coordinating a series of epidemiological surveys of caries prevalence across various parts of the United Kingdom (UK) since 1985/6.

The team: mounting and maintaining this programme of surveys has relied on the hard work and enthusiasm of many individuals working within the NHS from across the UK. The whole team is vital to the success of the programme and the Dental Epidemiology NHS "regional' Coordinators and "regional' trainers play a key role.

The surveys: to date, seven surveys of 5-year-old children have been undertaken biennially since 1985/86, three surveys of 14-year-old children have been carried out at four intervals since 1986/87, while three surveys of 12-year-old children have been completed since 1988-89 at corresponding intervals.

Diagnostic criteria: the diagnostic criteria used in the programme developed from a 1983 consensus meeting and have slowly been developed with experience of how they were interpreted and used across the UK.

Training and calibration: a number of national exercises have been held as the programme has developed which have improved our understanding of how criteria are being interpreted locally and have helped to improve the quality of the programme.

Quality standards: include a trainer's pack for caries diagnosis, developed in 1992, which comprises 50 slides and a matching series of overhead transparencies. Guideline documents have also been produced for 1) sampling for surveys of child dental health and 2) for the statistical aspects of training and calibration of examiners for such surveys.

Challenges and the future: include incorporating the mechanics of the programme within the evolving purchaser/provider environment of the NHS and the inevitable tensions between disparate local and national needs. The results of the programme are to be disseminated more widely and are now incorporated into a number of formal NHS data systems used to plan and monitor public health and services. Updated data-entry and processing software is now being developed by BASCD for this programme and consideration is being given to modules to allow the extension of the programme to include public health assessments of orthodontic need and developmental defects of enamel.