There Is No Health Without Oral Health: Advancing Integration into NCD and UHC Frameworks
1
World Federation of Public Health Associations, Geneva, Switzerland
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including oral diseases, represent the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, yet oral health remains largely excluded from NCD policies, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) benefit packages, and primary health care strategies. Affecting more than 3.5 billion people worldwide, oral diseases share common, preventable risk factors with other NCDs and are bi-directionally linked with systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancers. This policy disconnect undermines prevention, delays early detection, and exacerbates health inequities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Addressing this gap is essential to advance equity, strengthen health systems, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
METHODS:
This session presents a World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) collaborative policy statement calling for the systematic integration of oral health into global and national NCD and UHC agendas. The session will be delivered as an interactive panel discussion, bringing together public health associations, policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and civil society representatives. Using the Call to Action as a framing tool, panellists and participants will explore practical pathways for implementation from policy, health-system, workforce, financing, and community perspectives.
RESULTS:
The discussion will highlight key implementation priorities, including embedding oral health within national NCD strategies and UHC packages, integrating basic oral health services into primary care, addressing shared risk factors, and strengthening interprofessional collaboration. Participants will exchange regional experiences and identify actionable strategies adaptable to diverse health-system contexts.
CONCLUSIONS:
By translating a global policy statement into implementation-oriented dialogue, this session supports public health associations and professionals in advancing integrated, equitable, and sustainable approaches to oral health within NCD and UHC frameworks. The session aims to catalyse collective action and reinforce oral health as a fundamental component of public health.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including oral diseases, represent the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, yet oral health remains largely excluded from NCD policies, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) benefit packages, and primary health care strategies. Affecting more than 3.5 billion people worldwide, oral diseases share common, preventable risk factors with other NCDs and are bi-directionally linked with systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancers. This policy disconnect undermines prevention, delays early detection, and exacerbates health inequities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Addressing this gap is essential to advance equity, strengthen health systems, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
METHODS:
This session presents a World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) collaborative policy statement calling for the systematic integration of oral health into global and national NCD and UHC agendas. The session will be delivered as an interactive panel discussion, bringing together public health associations, policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and civil society representatives. Using the Call to Action as a framing tool, panellists and participants will explore practical pathways for implementation from policy, health-system, workforce, financing, and community perspectives.
RESULTS:
The discussion will highlight key implementation priorities, including embedding oral health within national NCD strategies and UHC packages, integrating basic oral health services into primary care, addressing shared risk factors, and strengthening interprofessional collaboration. Participants will exchange regional experiences and identify actionable strategies adaptable to diverse health-system contexts.
CONCLUSIONS:
By translating a global policy statement into implementation-oriented dialogue, this session supports public health associations and professionals in advancing integrated, equitable, and sustainable approaches to oral health within NCD and UHC frameworks. The session aims to catalyse collective action and reinforce oral health as a fundamental component of public health.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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