Children in Kendal are among those benefiting from a targeted NHS dental access programme that helped South Cumbria and Lancashire record the highest proportion of under-18s seen by an NHS dentist anywhere in England.
Figures for 2025-2026 show that 237,374 children across South Cumbria and Lancashire saw an NHS dentist during the past year. That represents 65.1 per cent of under-18s in the region, compared with a national average of 58.1 per cent.
The figures were published by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board. The board’s result was seven per cent above the national average and was the highest recorded proportion among England’s health boards.
Support for children without a regular dentist
The board said the results followed targeted work to support young people living in deprived communities, including Kendal and Barrow, as well as communities across Lancashire.
Under the initiative, children who do not have a regular dentist can receive routine care until they turn 17. Families can join through a referral form, by walking into a participating service or through targeted social media campaigns.
Children are matched with the nearest participating dental practice using their home address, with the aim of helping them access routine treatment closer to home.
Adult access also above national average
Adult access was also higher than the national benchmark. During a 24-month period, 43.5 per cent of adults in South Cumbria and Lancashire were seen by an NHS dentist, 3.7 per cent higher than the figure for England as a whole.
Amy Lepiorz, associate director of primary care for the integrated care board, said children in some parts of Lancashire and South Cumbria experience particularly poor oral health, with those living in the most deprived areas facing the greatest risk.
“Providing dental access for children in those communities, alongside local authority led supervised toothbrushing schemes are evidence-based interventions that will support an improvement in the oral health of those children.”
The board said it would continue working with dental practices, health and care services, schools, voluntary organisations and communities to help children receive care closer to home.