The Danish oral health care service for children: its achievements

Child dental services in Denmark were legally defined in 1971 and have functioned under this law for about a decade. Although no operational goals were defined, it is fair to say that the activities and results of the service have lived up to the expectations held at the inception of the law. The evaluation and planning system has made it possible to monitor developments in health as well as the use of resources. There have been consistent trends towards improved dental health in children and at the same time no increases in the use of personnel. There is general agreement in society that child services should remain a public activity. Pressures upon the services in the years to come must be expected to mount due to increased competition for scarce resources, simultaneous improvement in dental health and a reduction in the number of children. These pressures will stimulate a re-examination of goals within the service so that appropriate short and long term local action can be taken before outside influences force changes with deleterious effects on the structure and function of the service. The success of the service and its ultimate achievements, therefore, will have to be measured against its abilities to adapt to changes in health as well as to an economic situation which will be more demanding than hitherto.