WHO, EFP and PBOHE call for urgent action on oral health

Vienna, 12 May 2025 - EuroPerio11, the world’s leading congress in periodontology and implant dentistry organised by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), will host a timely and high-level joint session with the Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe (PBOHE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to spotlight urgent global developments in oral health policy.[i] “This joint session with the WHO and PBOHE reflects the EFP’s commitment to shaping a future where oral health is no longer neglected but recognised as integral to overall health,” said Professor Anton Sculean, secretary general of the EFP and EuroPerio11 chair. “It is a unique opportunity to align clinical practice, research, and policy around a shared vision of prevention, equity, and universal access to care. We must seize this moment to turn declarations into action.” This high-impact symposium will examine how the 2021 WHO Global Resolution on Oral Health[ii]has reshaped the global health agenda by formally integrating oral health into the broader family of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and respiratory diseases. This shift marks a historic milestone: oral health is no longer seen as an isolated issue, but as an essential component of general health and well-being.

“This is a turning point for oral health,” said Professor Iain Chapple, who will chair the session. “For the first time, oral diseases are finally being recognised as part of the wider group of chronic non-communicable diseases that affect millions of lives, like heart disease and diabetes. That means oral health can no longer be left out of the conversation on public health. It must be integrated into how we plan, fund, and deliver healthcare. The EFP is partnering with the Platform for Better Oral Health to advocate for the WHO’s plan for Universal Health Coverage for Oral Health by 2030.” 

In 2024, the first-ever WHO Global Oral Health[iii] meeting brought together representatives from WHO Member States to define national roadmaps towards achieving the WHO’s oral health targets by 2030[iv]. The resulting Bangkok Declaration: No health without oral health[v], signed by many countries and civil society organisations, reaffirmed a global commitment to embed oral health within primary care and universal health coverage (UHC).

“The relevance of oral health to systemic health is increasingly recognised in scientific and public health communities,” explained Professor Chapple. “Gum disease, for example, has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, respiratory illnesses, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, untreated dental diseases are a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide, impacting quality of life, productivity, and school attendance.”

The burden of periodontitis is substantial and growing[vi]. Severe gum disease affects more than one in ten adults globally and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Beyond its direct health consequences, periodontitis has a significant economic impact, with global treatment costs and productivity losses estimated at over US$540 billion annually. In Europe alone, the burden is estimated at €150 billion per year. These costs reflect not only dental care but also the broader consequences of poor oral health, including links to systemic diseases. Addressing this burden is not only a clinical imperative but a public health and economic one, and requires coordinated action across governments, civil society, and the health professions.

Yet oral healthcare remains largely underfunded and siloed from mainstream healthcare systems. It is unclear whether this is due to the traditional focus on NCDs having been on hard outcomes such as morbidity and mortality to prioritise their importance, and whether with greater longevity it is timely to migrate towards impacts that are based on quality of life. The WHO’s call to include oral health within the UHC basket and root its delivery in primary care settings is a vital lever for change, enabling countries to secure resources and develop integrated strategies to reduce inequalities and improve population health.

“We are at a pivotal moment where dental professionals, organisations, and platforms like the EFP must work together to amplify the WHO’s call and make sure that oral health remains on the global health agenda,” noted Chapple. “The mouth is a complex organ, and oral health is about much more than teeth, it is about overall health, quality of life and wellbeing, and health equality.”

Prof Sculean concluded: “We must act now to make sure everyone, everywhere, can access the oral care they need. That requires political commitment, investment, and collaboration across sectors. Together, we can build a future where oral health is treated as a fundamental human right.”

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[i] The session “Breaking news from the World Health Organization: What in the world is going on? How we can advocate for better oral health for all,” [i]will take place on Saturday, 17 May 2025 at 10:30 CEST at the VIECON in Vienna, Austria.

[ii] WHO resolution on oral health: https://www.who.int/news/item/27-05-2021-world-health-assembly-resolution-paves-the-way-for-better-oral-health-care

[iii] WHO first global oral health conference: https://www.who.int/news/item/25-11-2024-the-first-ever-global-oral-health-conference-highlights-universal-health-coverage-by-2030

[iv] WHO global strategy and action plan on oral health 2023–2030: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240090538

[v] Bangkok Declaration: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ncds/mnd/oral-health/bangkok-declaration-oral-health.pdf

[vi] The burden of caries and periodontitis: https://www.efp.org/publications-hub/the-burden-of-caries-and-periodontitis/