Dental caries is the most prevalent disease worldwide, and is caused by a complex
interaction of tooth susceptibility, nutrition and the oral environment. In young children it
can have a major impact on their quality of life, and is the main reason why Scottish children
are admitted to hospital. There have been dramatic improvements in Scottish children’s
oral health. This has been enabled through the introduction of Childsmile, the national oral
health programme for Scottish children. Nevertheless, significant challenges exist in
reducing oral health inequalities. This paper calls for a greater emphasis on the social
determinants of health to ensure that all Scottish children have the benefit of good oral
health
