Mouth Matters 2 Oral Health for All: Placing Civil Society at the Center of Global Oral Health
Background
Oral health is foundational to overall well-being — but it continues to be one of the most neglected areas in global health. Over 3.7 billion people suffer from untreated oral diseases, many of which are entirely preventable. Oral health problems do not exist in isolation: they are deeply interlinked with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs): diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, mental health disorders, cerebrovascular accidents, and cancers, and they share risk factors such as tobacco use, other substance abuse, sugar consumption, and poor access to care. Yet, oral health is almost entirely missing from national UHC packages, NCD investment plans, and donor funding streams. This exclusion disproportionately affects low-income populations, rural communities, and historically marginalized groups — entrenching cycles of pain, stigma, and economic loss.
Global health policy is shifting. The WHO’s 2022 Global Oral Health Status Report and its 2023 Oral Health Strategic Action Plan call for the full integration of oral health into UHC and NCD responses by 2030. The WHO Regional Committee for Africa recently endorsed the framework for accelerating progress in oral health for that region. But the best intentions are realized when civil society is mobilized, visible, and vocal, helping translate global policy into grassroots priorities, and holding governments accountable.
Objectives
- To explore strategies for mainstreaming oral health within the global NCD conversation and identify concrete ways civil society can champion this integration.
- Create a space for civil societies to ask: What can we do to ensure oral health is mainstream in the NCD conversation—and how can civil society help with that?
- To raise the political visibility of oral health within global NCD and UHC agendas.
- To position civil society not as observers, but as drivers of integration and accountability.
- To build sustained momentum, beyond one event, toward a future where oral health is recognized as a fundamental component of primary health care and universal health coverage, enabling health equity and dignity for the world’s people.
AGENDA
All times shown in Eastern Time (ET), i.e., New York City time.
9:45 – 9:55 AM
Welcome & Framing of Oral Health for All
WELCOME
Fernando Neves Hugo, DDS, PhD
Chair, Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, NYU College of Dentistry
Deborah Weisfuse, MS, DMD
President, Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders (AOHAB); Immediate Past CODA Commissioner; Past President, New York State Dental Association (NYSDA); Advisory to the Board, New York County Dental Society (NYCDS)
9:55 – 10:05 AM
Setting the Context: Integrating Oral Health with NCDs
SPEAKER
Monika Arora, PhD
Executive Director, HRIDAY; Vice President, Research and Health Promotion, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI); Immediate Past President, NCD Alliance
10:05 – 10:15 AM
Distinguished Talk
MODERATOR
Deborah Weisfuse, MS, DMD
President, AOHAB; Immediate Past CODA Commissioner; Past President, NYSDA; Advisory to the Board, NYCDS
SPEAKER
Benoit Varenne, DDS, MPH, PhD
Dental Officer, Oral Health Program, World Health Organization
10:15 – 10:50 AM
Country Case 1 — Brazil
Integrating oral health into universal health coverage through the Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal (Brasil Sorridente) and the Family Health Strategy.
MODERATOR
David Fray, DDS, MBA
Professor, Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health, University of Texas (UT Health)
SPEAKER
Juliana Balbinot Hilgert, DDS, MSc, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology & Public Health Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
DISCUSSANTS
Paula Johns, MS
Executive Director & Co-Founder, ACT Health Promotion, Brazil
Azeez Butali, DDS, PhD
Gilbert E. Lily Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, University of Iowa College of Dentistry
Myron Allukian Jr., DDS, MPH
Former Dental Director, City of Boston Health Department; Past President, American Public Health Association; Faculty of the Harvard, Tufts and Boston University Schools of Dental Medicine
10:50 – 11:00 AM
Distinguished Talk
MODERATOR
Monika Arora, PhD
Executive Director, HRIDAY; Vice President, PHFI; Immediate Past President, NCD Alliance
SPEAKER
To be confirmed
11:00 – 11:35 AM
Country Case 2 — Thailand
The Universal Coverage Scheme and the integration of essential dental care into primary health care networks.
MODERATOR
Ananda Dasanayake, DDS, MS, PhD
Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, NYU College of Dentistry
SPEAKER
Chanapong Rojanaworarit, DDS, MS, MPH, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Population Health, Hofstra University; formerly Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Thailand
DISCUSSANTS
Abhinav Vaidya, MD, PhD
Chairperson, South-East Asia Regional NCD Alliance; Kathmandu Medical College, Nepal
Rachel England, DrPH, MPH, FCG (Dent.)
Chair of Policy, Global Oral Health Foundation UK
Mandana Arabi, MD, PhD
Chief Impact Officer, Smile Train
11:35 – 11:50 AM
Coffee Break
11:50 AM – 12:00 PM
Distinguished Talk — Colgate
MODERATOR
Fernando Neves Hugo, DDS, PhD
Chair, Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, NYU College of Dentistry
SPEAKER
Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD
Chief Clinical Officer, Colgate-Palmolive
12:00 – 12:35 PM
Country Case 3 — Canada
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) and the Oral Health Access Fund.
MODERATOR
Shulamite Huang, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, NYU College of Dentistry
SPEAKER
Pascaline Kengne Talla, DDS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dental Medicine & Oral Health Sciences, McGill University
DISCUSSANTS
Isaac Weisfuse, MD, MPH
Professor, Division of Population Health, Cornell University School of Public Health
Christopher Fox, DMD, DMSc
Chief Executive Officer, International Association for Dental Research
Steve Perlman, DDS, MScD, DHL
Chair, People Advocating for Optimal Health (PAOH); Representing Special Olympics
12:35 – 1:10 PM
Civil Society at the Center: Working Plenary Panel
Panel discussion followed by responders and open-floor question and answer.
MODERATOR
Barbara Vartanian, BBA
Director of Advocacy and Policy, Center for Oral Health Policy and Management, NYU College of Dentistry
PANEL
Kristian Hurley, BS, BA
Senior Vice President, Social Impact & Global Advocacy, Beyond Type 1
Md. Shamim Hayder Talukder, MD, MPH
Chief Executive Officer, Eminence; Past Chairperson, South-East Asia Regional NCD Alliance; Member Secretary, Bangladesh NCD Forum
Deborah Weisfuse, MS, DMD
President, AOHAB; Immediate Past CODA Commissioner; Past President, NYSDA; Advisory to the Board, NYCDS
RESPONDERS
Cecile Feldman, DMD, MBA
Dean, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
Peter Mossey, BDS, PhD
Head of School, University of Dundee School of Dentistry
Matilde Hernandez, DDS, MS, MBA, MPH
Global Senior Director, Professional Engagement & Scientific Affairs, Colgate
Followed by open floor discussion.
1:10 – 2:30 PM
Working Lunch — Four Pillar Tables
Full details with table seating on the following pages.
2:30 – 2:50 PM
Distinguished Talk
MODERATOR
Ralitsa Androlova
President-Elect, International Dental Students Association (IDSA)
SPEAKER
Marko Vujicic, PhD
Chair, Health Policy Institute, American Dental Association
2:50 – 3:05 PM
Distinguished Talk
MODERATOR
Khalid Elachi, BS
Executive Director, Miracle Corners of the World Global
SPEAKER
Marion Bergman, MD
Board Member, Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders
3:05 – 3:35 PM
Coffee Break & Group Photograph
3:35 – 4:15 PM
Plenary Synthesis
MODERATOR
Seyedahmad Rad, DDS, PhD
Post-Doctoral Researcher, Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, NYU College of Dentistry
4:15 – 5:00 PM
Closing Remarks Panel
MODERATOR
Kiran P. Nagdeo, BDS, MPH, PhD(c)
PhD Epidemiology Candidate, NYU School of Global Public Health; Chair-Elect, APHA Student Assembly; Board Member, AOHAB
PANELISTS
Lois Cohen, PhD
Paul G. Rogers Ambassador for Global Health Research, Bethesda, MD
Peter Mossey, BDS, PhD
Head of School, University of Dundee School of Dentistry
Fernando Neves Hugo, DDS, PhD
Chair, Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion, NYU College of Dentistry
Monika Arora, PhD
Executive Director, HRIDAY; Vice President, PHFI; Immediate Past President, NCD Alliance
Deborah Weisfuse, MS, DMD
President, AOHAB; Immediate Past CODA Commissioner; Past President, NYSDA; Advisory to the Board, NYCDS