Updated Dental Caries in Children guidance published
On 27 February 2025, SDCEP published the third edition of the Prevention and Management of Dental Caries in Children guidance. The guidance is presented within a dedicated website (www.childcaries.sdcep.org.uk) with a downloadable summary ‘Guidance in Brief’ also provided.
The guidance aims to support dental teams to improve and maintain the oral health of their younger patients through the delivery of preventive care and, where necessary, effective management of dental caries.
Updating for the third edition of the guidance focused on specific aspects where new evidence or other recent developments were identified, and many parts of the guidance remain unchanged. Updates include amendment of the recommendation about preventive fissure sealants and wider application of vital pulp therapy in permanent teeth, with a new key recommendation about pulpotomy for treatment of pulpitis with irreversible symptoms.
Professor of Paediatric Dentistry, Chris Deery, who co-chaired the guidance development group with Professor Nicola Innes, said:
“Poor oral health remains an issue for many children and has a significant impact on the child and their family. Untreated dental caries can result in pain and infection affecting quality of life, school performance and development. However, dental decay is largely preventable.
“The latest edition continues to emphasise the importance of caries prevention to benefit children and their families, avoiding the need for more complex interventions and contributing to more sustainable health care. We have updated the recommendations on caries prevention and have included advice on further options for caries management.”
The third edition of the guidance is widely endorsed by national and international organisations as a source of reliable, high quality, professional advice that promotes the provision of safe and effective oral health care for patients.
We trust that users will find the guidance to be a valuable aid to enhancing patient care.