Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Children’s Dental Health (CDH) Survey series is a set of national surveys of children’s dental health that have been carried out every 10 years since 1973. Since its inception, the survey has provided important information to underpin the development and monitoring of dental health care for children. The 1973 survey established baseline information on the state of the dental health of children in England and Wales. The survey coverage was then extended in 1983 to include Scotland and Northern Ireland. The 2013 survey covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. (The UK Data Archive currently does not hold the 1973, 1983 and 1993 surveys).

The Children’s Dental Health Survey, 2003 is the fourth survey in the series. The purpose of the survey series is to establish the state of the dental health of children in the UK, and to monitor change since earlier surveys. Further information is available from the Department of Health survey webpage.

Main Topics:

The data file includes the results of a dental examination carried out with a representative sample of children aged 5, 8, 12 and 15 years of age attending government maintained and independent schools in the UK. The data file also includes the response to a questionnaire completed by a random sub-sample of parents about children's oral hygiene and dental care. Standard measures: A simplified version of the Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need is included. The simplified version only records definite treatment needs and incorporates borderline need into no need categories.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Postal survey

Clinical measurements