A Powys Senedd member has called on the Welsh government to guarantee children dental care.

Ms for Brecon and Radnorshire, James Evans MS called on Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford to expand dental provision into schools and to guarantee children dental care.

Mr Evans said: “In my constituency, accessing a dentist is extremely difficult and even if you get a dentist, the travelling times to those dentists can be very lengthy.”

He went on to call for the First Minister to look at bringing mobile dentists into schools, “so they can get the check-ups they need to ensure that their oral health is in good condition”.

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Mr Drakeford responded by saying that the Health Minister would be making a statement on dental services in a fortnight’s time, and that the statement would touch on “ideas for dealing with dental services in rural areas and the possibility of mobile dentistry in secondary schools.”

The state of dentistry in Powys has been fiercely criticised after it was revealed earlier this year that nearly 800 children in the county were on the waiting list for an NHS dentist.

READ MORE: Nearly 800 Powys children are waiting for NHS dentist

Recently, the British Dental Association conducted polling which said the “overwhelming majority of dentists say the Welsh Government's approach to reform of NHS dentistry is failing.”

Mr Evans added: “We all know that good oral health leads to the overall good health and wellbeing of our children.

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“The Labour Welsh Government have been failing on dental services – this is bad enough for adults but has an even bigger negative impact on our children.

“I want to see dental provision in schools, so children are guaranteed good quality dental care.”

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