Smiles all round, the BDA’s manifesto, has now been published in advance of the forthcoming General Election. The document has been produced to help members to lobby their prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs).

In this crucial election year, your vote counts more than ever. This is the time to make your voice heard on behalf of the profession and promote the importance of oral health. What’s more, the testimonies and interests of prospective constituents are important to candidates, so they’ll want to hear from you. And with political commentators predicting that there could be up to 250 new faces at Westminster, many of the candidates you speak to could be the MPs who influence health policy in the coming years.

The manifesto, Smiles all round – a manifesto for better oral health in England, outlines the six key priorities for dentists in England the BDA believes must be addressed by the government that is elected in 2010. A copy of the document can be downloaded from these pages. It argues that despite an improvement in Britain’s oral health in the last 30 years, significant challenges remain. It says the next government must tackle oral health inequalities and variable commissioning of dental care, as well as completing an unfinished reform of NHS dentistry in England. Also, the manifesto points out, it must achieve all this while improving patient access and working within tough financial constraints.

The BDA will produce manifestos for the elections in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales next year.

You can find out tips on engaging with candidates in the BDA’s guide to get candidates talking about oral health here.

Click here to download the BDA manifesto.