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

Variable filters

You will be able to change the filter selections once you've chosen how to view the data.
Data description

This indicates what a data value represents

1 of 1 selected
No values match your search
Period end 12 months children 24 months adults
4 of 4 selected
No values match your search
Patient Type
2 of 2 selected
No values match your search
Assessment type
4 of 4 selected
No values match your search
Score
7 of 7 selected
No values match your search

Choose how to view the data

You'll be asked to choose 2 variables to show on a table
The data will be shown with columns for each of the variables in the dataset, with a data value for all combinations of variables

Next update expected:August 2026

Updates

22nd April 2026
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Official statistics
Data provider
NHS Business Services Authority
Data source
Dental services
Time period covered
March 2022 to March 2025

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

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 or 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.

A separate FP17W level dataset, supplied by NHS Business Services Authority, is used to derive counts of patients treated by patient characteristics. Totals derived from this dataset are higher than the equivalent headline figures published on StatsWales: Adults treated at Welsh dental practices over the last 24 months and Children treated at Welsh dental practices over the last 12 months because patients whose most recent treatment within a reference period took place in England, but who also received earlier treatment in Wales during that period, are excluded from the headline measures but retained in the FP17W‑level dataset. At Wales level, counts for adults treated over the last 24 months are no more than 0.9% higher, while counts for children treated over the last 12 months are no more than 4.3% higher.

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.

Statistical quality

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

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
stats.healthinfo@gov.wales