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This research project investigates how integrating dietitians into paediatric dental clinics can improve both oral health and healthy weight in children. Using diet as a common risk factor approach, the project aims to design a structured care pathway for primary care dental settings.

Childhood obesity and tooth decay are two of the most pressing public health issues in the UK. Both conditions are strongly diet-related and largely preventable, yet continue to place a heavy burden on families and the NHS. Although dental teams see children regularly and have unique opportunities to promote healthy habits, the nutritional support provided is often limited, focusing narrowly on sugar intake and overlooking wider dietary, social, and behavioural needs.

This project proposes a different approach: embedding dietitians within paediatric dental teams to offer holistic, tailored dietary advice. Dietitians are skilled in assessing food-related health risks, delivering practical support for long-term behaviour change, and interpreting height, weight, and BMI – all of which complement and enhance dental care. They also support families in navigating complex challenges, such as food insecurity, feeding difficulties, or managing conditions that require sedation or specialist oral care.

By identifying practical enablers and barriers, and co-developing a structured interprofessional care pathway, the project aims to demonstrate how a collaborative model can enhance patient experience, reduce risk, and promote prevention.