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Welsh Government
Data Provider: Welsh Government Adults and children treated by Assessment of Clinical Oral Risks and Need (ACORN) measure
None
Patient type[Filtered]
PeriodFor adults, the reference period relates to the 24-month period ending March each year (2023 onwards). For children, the reference period relates to the 12-month period ending March each year (2022 onwards).[Filtered]
Measure1
Assessment type[Filter]
Score[Filter]
Click here to sortDental historyDental history is scored with only green and yellow categories as per the ACORN guidanceClick here to sortTooth decayClick here to sortPeriodontal healthClick here to sortOther dental need
All patients1,051,7261,051,7261,051,7261,051,726
Red.The data item is not applicable185,290101,498177,332
Amber.The data item is not applicable169,970221,639150,797
Yellow124,524.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable
Green622,069387,269412,911418,869
Not stated305,133309,197305,406304,728
Not applicable.The data item is not applicable.The data item is not applicable10,272.The data item is not applicable

Metadata

Keywords

Dental; NHS Dental

Title

Adults and children treated by Assessment of Clinical Oral Risks and Need (ACORN) measure

Last update

27 February 2025 (postponed from 31 October 2024) 27 February 2025 (postponed from 31 October 2024)

Next update

To be confirmed

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

Dental Services, NHS Business Services Authority

Contact email

stats.healthinfo@gov.wales

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Wales

General description

This StatsWales cube presents data for Welsh resident adults and children treated by Assessment of Clinical Oral Risks and Need (ACORN) measure, for each 24-month period ending March for adults and each 12-month period ending March for children.

Data collection and calculation

Statistics are based on patients treated at dental practices in Wales. This means that this data includes non-Welsh residents treated in Wales but does not include Welsh residents treated outside of Wales. This is because Welsh Government has access to FP17W data from dental practices in Wales only.

ACORN is a programme that allows NHS dentists to carry out risks and needs assessments in a systematic way. Dentists use a colour-coded scoring system to assess various aspects of a patient’s dental health and risks in-line with the toolkit guidance, with green signifying low risk/need and red signifying high risk/need. ACORN data has been collected and validated from April 2022.

Data only available for the financial year ending in March 2022 onwards. As the adult measure is based on a 24-month reference period, the first year of available data is the 24-months ending March 2023.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that adults are recalled for dental check-ups at intervals of three months to 24 months depending on the individual’s oral health status. The guidance also recommends that the longest recall period for children (aged under 18) is no longer than 12 months. Therefore, statistics on adults treated are based on the previous 24-month period; statistics for children refer to the previous 12-month period.

Each patient is counted only once even if they have received multiple episodes of care during the reference period.

Frequency of publication

Annual

Data reference periods

For adults, the reference period relates to the 24-month period ending March each year (2023 onwards). For children, the reference period relates to the 12-month period ending March each year (2022 onwards).

Statistical quality

Please find this information in the related statistical publication, as per given weblink.