Abstract
Health is more than just the absence of disease; it covers well-being on all levels, including the physical, the psychological, and the social. Oral health should be acknowledged as a vital aspect of overall health instead of a separate clinical issue. Oral health issues have often been overlooked in public health strategies and healthcare development. Incorporating oral health into public health initiatives is crucial for attaining egalitarian, preventive, and patient-centered healthcare.
The World Health Organization (WHO) approximated that in 2019, oral diseases impacted almost 3.5 billion individuals globally, ranking them as some of the most widespread health issues. This challenge underscores the necessity to transition from a mostly treatment-focused dentistry paradigm to a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes prevention, health promotion, early intervention, and universal access to vital services.
References
- World Health Organization. “Global oral health status report: Towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030”. World Health Organization, Geneva (2022).
- Peres MA., et al. “Oral diseases: A global public health challenge”. The Lancet 394.10194 (2019): 249-260.
- Watt RG., et al. “Ending the neglect of global oral health: Time for radical action”. The Lancet 394.10194 (2019): 261-272.
- World Health Organization. “Global strategy on oral health”. World Health Organization, Geneva (2022).
- Winkelmann J., et al. “Universal health coverage cannot be universal without oral health”. The Lancet Public Health 8.1 (2023): e1-e10.
- Anyikwa CL and Ogwo CE. “Enhancing oral health outcomes through public health policy reform”. Frontiers in Oral Health 6 (2025): 1604465.
- Parmar D., et al. “Impact of community-based oral health education programs on dental caries prevalence in school-aged children”. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences 17 (Suppl. 3) (2025): S2373-S2375.
- Listl S., et al. “Evidence-informed oral health policy making: Opportunities and challenges”. Journal of Dental Research 102.12 (2023): 1293-1302.