New World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre at UCL

The UCL Dental Public Health Group based within the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health has been designated a WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Health Inequalities and Public Health. The UCL team will be working with colleagues at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva supporting the preparation of the forthcoming Global Oral Health Report. Professor Richard Watt, Director of the new WHO Collaborating Centre, said  “This is a very exciting opportunity for our group to become more involved in supporting WHO global policy on oral health inequalities and is recognition of our research and policy work over the last 30 years.”

Dr Benoit Varenne, Responsible Officer at WHO Headquarters, welcomed the announcement: “I am delighted that the UCL Dental Public Health Group have now officially been designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre and look forward to working with Professor Watt and his colleagues in addressing the significant burden of oral diseases in different regions of the world.”

The research agenda of the UCL Dental Public Health Group has focused on exploring the underlying determinants of oral health inequalities and evaluating community interventions to promote better oral health. The Group has a global network of research collaborators and is heavily involved in supporting policy through their work with Public Health England and other agencies.

Further information about the UCL Dental Public Health Group can be found at www.ucl.ac.uk/dph