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WHO Oral Health Status Report launches
22 November 2022
On 18 November, Professor Richard Watt (Professor of Dental Public Health in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL) attended the launch of the WHO Global Oral Health Status Report at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
As one of the lead authors of the report, Professor Watt (pictured) participated in the panel discussion with Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, Hon Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister Thailand, Dr Ximena Sanhueza, Minister of Health Chile, Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director of NCD Department WHO HQ, and Dr Richard Horton, Editor in Chief of The Lancet.
The WHO report highlights the global public health importance of oral diseases and the stark oral health inequalities that exist both between and within countries. The report provides a very clear mandate for the development of national policies by member states to tackle the burden of oral diseases and reduce oral health inequalities.
Commenting on the report, Dr Bente Mikkelsen, WHO Director for Noncommunicable Diseases, said: "Placing people at the heart of oral health services is critical if we are to achieve the vision of universal health coverage for all individuals and communities by 2030.
"This report acts as a starting point by providing baseline information to help countries monitor progress of implementation, while also providing timely and relevant feedback to decision-makers at the national level. Together, we can change the current situation of oral health neglect."