Patterns of care and service use amongst children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 2013.

Background The 2013 Children's Dental Health survey is the fifth in a series of national surveys.Aims This paper describes children's reported use of dental services, their experience of receiving dental treatment and parental satisfaction with services.Methodology A representative sample of children (aged 5, 8, 12 and 15 years) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were invited to participate in dental examinations. Older children and all parents were invited to complete a questionnaire about oral health behaviours and attitudes.Results Over 80% of 12- and 15-year-olds reported attending for a check-up. According to parents, 9 in 10 children of all ages had visited a dentist in the last year and 9 in 10 parents reported they were satisfied with the last dental practice their child had visited. There was some variation by country with respect to children's experiences of fillings and extractions.Conclusions There has been little change in the reported attendance patterns of children since the 2003 survey. Family deprivation (measured by children's eligibility for free school meals) negatively influenced dental attendance for regular check-ups, attendance within the last 12 months and the likelihood of having experienced difficulties accessing NHS dental services for children.