DENTAL experts have set themselves a 10 point target in a bid to put the smile back into East Lancashire.

The strategy will aim to drive out decay and improve the oral health of the district's 500,000 population.

East Lancashire has one of the worst dental health records in the UK and has already revealed plans to try and recruit dentists from Scandinavia to solve the chronic shortage of practitioners.

They are also aiming to make sure that everybody who wants dental care receives it.

The 10 point target includes:

Reducing the level of decay in five-year-old and 12-year-old children.

Campaign for water supply to be fluoridated by the year 2003.

Increase the proportion of sugar-free medicine dispensed.

Reduce the rate of dental general anaesthesia in people under 18.

Calls requesting help in finding a dentist to be reduced from more than 200 per month to 100.

To maintain orthodontic outpatient waiting times at less than 26 weeks.

Registration of 0 to two-year-olds to be increased from 21 per cent to 25 per cent by 1999.

Registration of over 55s to be increased to the national average by 1999.

Decrease injuries in 12-year-old's teeth from eight to seven per cent.

East Lancashire Health Authority has put the oral health strategy out for consultation and replies are being invited before September 30.

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