In England's classrooms, a simple routine is reshaping the future of children's oral health: supervised toothbrushing in schools has more than doubled in just three years, reaching 238,636 children across 81% of local authorities in 2025. What began as a pilot project in 2022, when just 106,273 children participated, has become a nationwide movement backed by sustained funding and strengthened partnerships—proof that preventative health works when systems align behind it.
Dental health inequality has long been one of Britain's stubborn challenges, with poor teeth hitting hardest in deprived communities where families face barriers to regular dental care. The BRUSH supervised toothbrushing project, championed by researchers at the University of Sheffield and University of Leeds, tackles this at the source: building good habits while children are young, when a few minutes with a toothbrush each day can change lifelong outcomes. Unlike expensive emergency treatments, supervised toothbrushing is one of the most cost-efficient ways to prevent tooth decay before it starts.
The progress has been dramatic. In 2022, only 48% of local authorities had implemented the program. By 2024, that had climbed to 59%. Now, at 81%, the majority of England's local authorities are delivering supervised toothbrushing—a testament to what happens when research recommendations translate into real policy change. Multi-year funding, secured in March 2025 with the launch of the National supervised toothbrushing program, addressed one of the biggest barriers that had previously stalled expansion: schools and health services lacked the certainty of sustained investment needed to build capacity and train staff.
Professor Zoe Marshman, Professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Sheffield and spokesperson for the British Society of Pediatric Dentistry, frames it plainly: "Dental health is very important to well-being, so it is vital that good habits start young." The momentum behind the program reflects not just scientific evidence but a shared conviction across dentists, educators, and policymakers that prevention works. Dr. Peter Day, a pediatric dentist and BSPD member, speaks from frontline experience: "As a pediatric dentist, I see every day how poor dental health hits the most vulnerable children hardest. The BRUSH study shows real progress is being made: twice as many children are now benefiting from supervised toothbrushing programs, many of these located in deprived neighborhoods."
What makes this expansion particularly significant is that it's not happening randomly—it's concentrated where need is greatest. The program has been deliberately designed to reach children in the most vulnerable communities, where family circumstances make regular dental visits less likely. By bringing toothbrushing into schools, the program removes barriers of access, cost, and knowledge that have historically widened the oral health gap between rich and poor.
The trajectory ahead looks promising. With multi-year funding now in place and the infrastructure of local partnerships strengthened, England's supervised toothbrushing program has the stability to keep growing. The data is clear: when you give children a simple routine and the right environment, backed by resources and professional expertise, health improves. In three years, 238,636 children have gained access to a habit that will serve them their whole lives.