The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD), the UK’s leading organisation advocating for good oral health for children and young people, has refreshed the Society’s Mission Statement & Strategy for 2026 to 2029 – issuing for the first time ever a version for children and young people. The three-year plan is based on eight core aims focusing on the Society’s priorities and keeping our most vulnerable young people at the heart. The principle of creating a first-ever version for children, co-created with feedback from children, is fundamental to ensuring that BSPD delivers advice and materials that are relevant to and can be understood by every child, including those who are neurodivergent.
BSPD’s mission statement sets out the background
The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) is a charity which advocates for high-quality and accessible oral health care for children and young people in the United Kingdom. We work to improve health outcomes, experience and standards of care in all settings, by engaging with dental and other health professions, stakeholders, policy and political decision makers, and other special interest groups. We aim to ensure the voice of the child is heard to achieve optimal children’s oral health and improve general health and well-being. We will actively consider sustainability and environmental impact in all that we do and recommend.
BSPD’s overarching mission statement
“To improve paediatric oral health, reduce oral health inequalities and support the development and delivery of high quality, accessible oral health care for all children and young people in the United Kingdom.”
BSPD’s version for children and young people
The mission statement version for children and young people is a bright and modern one page infographic using fun icons and simple language. The Society lays out for children the purpose of BSPD introducing who we are and what we want to do.
“Paediatric dentistry means the dentists and their teams who help keep children and young people’s teeth and gums healthy. Having a healthy mouth is important. If your mouth is sore, it can stop you from eating and sleeping and make it hard to concentrate at school or college. We want every child and young person to have a healthy start in life and to get really good care for their teeth.”
BSPD’s goals for children’s oral health for the next three years
BSPD’s mission statement
Upholding the principles of the children’s version, the refreshed statement also outlines the following eight aims:
1. Upholding the overall wellbeing of children as our overarching concern.
2. Providing evidence-based oral health advice and information for children, young people and their families.
3. Promoting and ensuring a preventive oral health philosophy that contributes to overall health and wellbeing.
4. Contributing to the work of policy and decision makers and collaborating with other stakeholders to advocate for children and young people’s oral health.
5. Supporting the continuous learning and development of all members of the dental team.
6. Supporting the development and dissemination of evidence and advice to professionals.
7. Building the Society’s impact through increased member value and stronger advocacy for paediatric dentistry.
8. Build awareness of the Society to ensure BSPD continues to be recognised as the expert voice of children and young people’s oral health.
Dr Oosh Devalia, President, British Society of Paediatric Dentistry said: “We are very proud to share the inspiring refreshed mission statement and three-year plan for BSPD. Having a version for children is so important to the Society, since they are our focus and we must ensure that we communicate our goals in a way they can understand. In fact, this is one of our mission aims. We have ensured that the principles will ensure that we deliver for children over the next three years.
“We know that prevention is better than cure, and to support that vision, BSPD will really focus on delivering messages, content and guidance in versions that children can understand. I am delighted with our new mission statement and look forward to working on these goals with BSPD’s excellent executive committee and members.”
