Table 3.
Updated oral health policies related to ECC in each country/region.
| Country | National oral health policy/program to control ECC | Preventive measures | Public dental healthcare insurance for children aged 0–5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australia's National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024 | – Water fluoridation | – For children from lower income families |
| Brazil | Smiling Brazil National Oral Health Program (NOHP) since 2004 | – Water fluoridation – Individual educational-preventive actions with pregnant women – Supplying free toothbrushes and fluoride toothpaste |
– Universal coverage |
| Cambodia | No national oral health program | – No national preventive measures | – No coverage |
| China | The National Program for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention (2017–2025), an action plan for the Healthy China 2030 | – Promote oral health education in kindergartens | – No coverage |
| Egypt | Social Health Insurance Law of 2018 to be fully implemented all over Egypt in 15-years offering Social Health Insurance Program (SHIP) | – Basic oral health package (health education with or without fluoride application) proposed under SHIP following evidence-based guidelines | – Currently, family Health units offer therapeutic care in a fee-for-service model at low prices and provide mostly extractions |
| Hong Kong | Oral Health Education Unit (OHEU) aims to improve the oral health status of Hong Kong preschool children since 1989 | – Water fluoridation with 100% coverage – Provide only oral health education for parents and preschool children |
– Only children of civil servants |
| India | No national oral health program | – No national preventive measures | – No coverage |
| Indonesia | The National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme 2014 | – Primary, secondary, and tertiary oral health care prevention schemes | – Universal coverage |
| Japan | The 8020 campaign (since 2000) | – Checkups at 6 months, 8 months, 1-year-old, 2-year-old, and an annual dental check-up at their kindergartens fissure sealants on primary molars | – Universal coverage |
| Nigeria | The 2020 National Oral Health Policy | – Promote access of pregnant women receive routine oral care – Promote children's visit to the dentist by their first birthday – Ensure access and use of fluoridated toothpaste daily by pre-school children |
– Universal health coverage |
| Thailand | National Health Act | – Sugar taxation – Oral health promotion: brushing campaign when the first tooth erupts – Oral health examination and fluoride varnish application at the day care centers |
– Universal health coverage including preventive restoration (SMART), simple treatment such as extraction, filling, etc. |
| UK | Child Dental Health Care under National Health Service (NHS) | – Oral health promotion (Childsmile, Scotland and Designed to Smile, Wales) – Primary, secondary and tertiary intervention – Soft Drinks Industry Levy: reducing sugar content of drinks since 2016 |
– Universal health coverage under NHS but different payment systems in each nation |
| USA | Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) | – Water fluoridation – Dental home program – Headstart (HS) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provide education, screenings, check-ups, nutrition services and referrals |
– Comprehensive dental coverage for families below the poverty level |
| Venezuela | No specific oral health policy | – Salt fluoridation | – No coverage |