Vision 2030 Outlines Strategies To Promote Oral Health Globally

The global burden of oral diseases remains high, despite the fact these conditions are largely preventable. One reason is that oral health is still not integrated into global health agendas, or recognized as a priority by governments, stakeholders and individuals. For the past two years, an FDI World Dental Federation working group led by Michael Glick, DMD, professor of oral diagnostic sciences in the School of Dental Medicine at the University at Buffalo, and David Williams, BDS, MSc, PhD, FRCPath, FDSRCS, professor of global oral health at Queen Mary University of London, has been developing a strategic plan to help the oral health community positively shape health policies.

The outcome is Vision 2030: Delivering Optimal Oral Health for All (Vision 2030), and its overarching goal is to reduce oral health inequalities and improve oral healthcare over the next decade “with no person left behind.” The report identifies targets and indicators, and proposes solutions contingent on local needs, conditions and circumstances. The document is built around three pillars: recognizing the need for universal coverage for oral health; integrating oral health into the general health agenda; and building a resilient oral health workforce to ensure sustainable development.

FDI is broadly promoting the recommendations of Vision 2030 to governments and policymakers as a source of practical solutions for integrating oral health into universal health coverage and noncommunicable disease agendas.

From Decisions in Dentistry. March 2021;7(3):9.