World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) 2025 is focused on safe care for the new-born and every child as illustrated by the slogan “Patient Safety from the start”.   

Good oral health is important for all children as it supports their overall health, development and well-being. Poor oral health can lead to pain, infection, difficulties eating, sleeping, missed school days and poorer quality of life. Currently, removal of decayed teeth is the most common reason for a six-to-ten year old child to be admitted to hospital in England.  

It is well known, that dental decay is almost always preventable, providing parents and carers have an awareness and the right knowledge, especially during the early years. 

Children with medical conditions and co-morbidities are at increased risk of dental decay and poor oral health. This can be due to variety of reasons including some of the following; long periods in hospital, long term sugar containing medications, developmental defects of enamel, diet and oral hygiene habits and anxiety. 

Children with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are at increased risk of infective endocarditis (I.E.) and good oral health is an important step in reducing risk. Currently 5-9 / 1,000 babies born in England will be born with some form of CHD. 

When working with children with heart conditions, and their families, we seek to provide key preventive oral health messages at an early stage in the patient journey.  Furthermore, we should seek to support the children, their families and the wider healthcare team with appropriate dental advice and support.  

In 2016, NHS England’s, CHD standards and specifications were published and this included Dental Standards (Section M) which outlines the importance of the following: 

The Paediatric Dentistry Cardiac - Clinical Excellence Network (PDC-CEN) was formally established in 2016, by a group of interested paediatric dentists. The PDC-CEN supports dental professionals across the UK and Ireland (England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland) working with children with cardiac conditions, through a network of leading consultants and specialists. Children with CHD, may require antibiotic prophylaxis for the prevention of I.E. and/or adjustment of anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy to allow safe delivery of dental care. 

Our mission is to promote dental clinical excellence for the benefit of our patients, their families, our members and the profession. Our goal is to ensure that all children with cardiac conditions receive high-quality and accessible oral health care. We seek to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health for this patient group.   

The PDC-CEN contributes to improvements via the following means; 

All of the above links well to the WHO WPSD 2025’s key campaign messages “Children aren’t small adults. They require individualized safe care” and “Safer care depends on safe systems and team work”.