The British Dental Association (BDA) this month launched the BDA Northern Ireland 2007 manifesto for dentistry. It is calling on those elected to the new Northern Ireland Assembly in March to address the poor state of the nation's teeth and mouths. Northern Ireland currently suffers worse oral health than the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The BDA also stressed the possibility for fundamental change presented by the 2006 Primary Care Dental Care Strategy and called upon the assembly to ensure that any new arrangements improve access for patients, allow high street dentists more time to focus on preventative care and provide additional funding for dentistry.