At the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 22-28, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) member states made the landmark decision to adopt the Global Strategy on Oral Health. This strategy is the first of its kind in international policy guidance for countries addressing oral diseases as public health problems. It also aims to inform the development of a new global action plan, including a framework for tracking progress with targets to be achieved by 2030.
In this video, Dr. Habib Benzian, Co-Director of Global Health and Policy at the WHO Collaborating Center for Quality Improvement and Evidence-Based Dentistry at New York University, explains what the strategy means for oral health worldwide. He outlines how it may impact upon private practice dentists in North America, discusses the possible integration of oral health into universal health coverage, and considers how the strategy may influence research and technology.
“I firmly believe that this process cannot be stopped in the long term. The benefits for societies in terms of reduced inequality, enhanced well-being, and overall productivity are just enormous.”
Dr. Habib Benzian
HELPFUL LINKS
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- Draft Global Strategy on Oral Health
- The LANCET – The WHO global strategy for oral health: an opportunity for bold action
- Journal of the American Dental Association - Think global, act Local: why global oral health matters
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