Welsh children’s dental health improves but disadvantaged children remain worse off
23 February 2026
The latest national children’s dental inspection in Wales shows continued improvement in oral health among five and six year olds, but inequalities persist.
The inspection, carried out during the 2024/25 academic year, examined 8,526 Year 1 pupils across 655 state-funded schools in Wales.
According to the report - published by Cardiff University’s Welsh Oral Health Information Unit on behalf of the NHS Wales Dental Epidemiology Programme - the proportion of children in Wales who have experienced tooth decay has fallen significantly since the last survey in 2022/23.
Today, eight children in an average class of 30 will have experienced dental decay, compared to 14 in 2007/08. Whilst this progress is promising, untreated decay remains a concern, affecting nearly one in four children. Pain continues to be the most commonly reported oral health-related impact.
The report also highlights persistent inequalities, with children from the most deprived communities remaining more likely to experience dental decay and have more teeth affected than those from less deprived areas. However, reductions in decay were observed across the four most deprived groups.
These findings show encouraging progress, but the gap between children in the most and least deprived communities remains stark. Children growing up in our most deprived areas carry a heavy and disproportionate burden of dental disease. In turn this can lead to pain, sleepless nights and missed school. These findings underline the need for continued efforts to tackle inequalities and build healthier communities for all children.
This data will inform Welsh Government policy and support initiatives aimed at improving oral health and reducing disparities across Wales.
Dr Emma Barnes, Research Associate at the Welsh Oral Health Information Unit said: "The national inspections are a truly collaborative effort, bringing together Cardiff University, Public Health Wales, and Community Dental Services across Wales. This ensures that the NHS Wales Dental Epidemiology Programme continually evolves to meet changing contexts and needs and delivers a robust and comprehensive picture that helps shape the future of children’s oral health in Wales."
Read the full report: Picture of Oral Health 2026
