HOW does your newspaper make a difference?

Local Newspaper Week runs until May 20 and shines a spotlight on the important role played by local newspapers in communities across the UK.

Standing at the heart of that vital role is the strong, campaigning voice of newspapers like the Telegraph & Argus, as they speak up on the issues which matter to readers.

The T&A has a long history of campaigning, from calling for an end to the menace of danger dogs to a crackdown on danger drivers and most recently Stop the Rot, which is pushing for greater awareness around oral health and better access to NHS dentistry in Bradford.

The campaign, which has received attention on both a local and national level, came about in the face of dire statistics on oral health in the district.

Just this week, new figures from Public Health England revealed that children starting primary school in Bradford have one of the highest rates of tooth decay in the country.

Based on a survey of 1,268 five-year-olds in Bradford in the 2016-17 academic year, the survey found tooth decay in nearly 40 per cent of children – the 11th highest local authority rate in England.

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The British Dental Association, the union which represents dentists across the UK, has dubbed Bradford the ‘ground zero’ of a broken NHS dental system. And a reader poll found 87 per cent of people were worried about children’s access to dental services in Bradford.

This is simply not good enough and inaction is not an option if we are to improve the face of dentistry and oral health in the district.

A boost for the campaign came last week when an investment of £332,500 for dentistry in Bradford was announced.

This means that more than 3,500 new patients living in the Bradford South and East wards will be able to access NHS dental services.

And while the money is welcome and a step in right direction towards tackling the problems Bradford faces, it is not a silver bullet and the battle to reform the dental contract to something more fit for purpose must continue.

A new preventative contract is currently being trialled, but until the Government acts to bring about the long-term change needed, the T&A will continue to press the case for a better dental deal.