Editorial. For a disease that is eminently preventable, the focus of childhood dental decay has tended to be treatment orientated and siloed as the responsibility of the dental profession. While contemporary evidence continues to support the effectiveness of prevention and early intervention, dental attendance before the age of 2 years is uncommon. However, contact with other health professionals during a child’s first 2 years of life is high. With this in mind, this editorial introduces a series of articles that outlines why childhood dental decay is everyone’s business, the nature and extent of childhood oral health issues and how we could be addressing the complex aetiology of early childhood caries through a progressive, collaborative approach.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.