Since its publication in March 2021, A Global Consensus for achieving a dental cavity-free future has been circulating around the world, supporting the WHO 2021 Resolution on Oral Health which was passed by the World Health Assembly in May. The breadth of response and the number of international and national organisations, associations and academic institutions willing to endorse the policy recommendations outlined in the report are a testament to the need for a change of approach across the whole spectrum of public health in regards to the prevention and management of dental caries.
This is clearly reflected through the endorsement from the World Federation of Public Health Associations, whose blog post about the report can be read here. That public health bodies are acknowledging this important area of need reinforces the fact, as laid out in the report, that caries is an issue concerning all of public health and requiring collaborative, interprofessional action in order to promote change.
To achieve sustainable change in the prevention and management of dental caries, these proposals need to be brought into the curricula of dental educational institutions. It is, therefore, heartening to have received endorsements so far from the European Dental Students Association, Southeast Asia Association for Dental Education and the College of French Teachers in Paediatric Dentistry showing the global appeal of these proposals as well as the interest of a new generation of dental professionals to achieve the recommended goals of the report. It is not just educational associations but universities too that are endorsing the recommendations including King’s College London, University of Pennsylvania, Universiti Sains Malaysia, University Teknologi Mara and SEGi University.
The endorsement from a large number of oral health-specific associations demonstrates the interest within the dental profession for a better way to fight against caries. The Latin American Oral Health Association, International Association of Paediatric Dentistry, Council of European Dentists, International Federation of Dental Hygienists, European Dental Hygienists Federation have all backed the report. In their endorsement statement, the European Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe highlighted that the policy recommendations will support policymakers globally to reduce dental caries and cavities.
This growing list of endorsements shows a truly global, health-wide alliance coming together and through collaborations like this, we can aim to make a cavity-free future a reality.
If you are part of an association, organisation or institution that would like to endorse the report then please visit www.acffglobal.org/making-cavities-history/. Here, you will find the downloadable endorsement statement as well as the full range of publications surrounding the report.
If you have any questions about the report or endorsing it, then please don’t hesitate to contact us at admin@acffglobal.org.
Leave A Reply