One Moment in Time

Those who spend their careers in oral healthcare may experience only a few truly groundbreaking moments. We just had one of these in September when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) met in New York. During that assembly, the Fourth High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) also convened. For the first time since its inception, oral health was addressed as an integral part of the NCDs’ agenda. While this may not seem innovative to those who work in oral healthcare, it is a significant shift in addressing oral health on the global stage. Finally, policy makers are recognizing that the mouth is indeed connected to the body!

Oral diseases affect approximately 3.7 billion people globally, nearly half the world’s population.¹ This makes them the most widespread of all NCDs. While this is not new information, oral health has not been a priority in the broader healthcare system. As dental hygienists, we know how systemic conditions are impacted by the quality of a patient’s oral health. Research has clearly demonstrated this link since the 1980s, when studies showed the connection between diabetes and tooth loss. Since then, more evidence has emerged to support additional oral-systemic connections. Yet policy makers have not embraced this information.

With the inclusion of oral health in the declaration developed by the UNGA, its importance is elevated to the level of other NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. It creates the opportunity to address disparities in oral health access and literacy. It promotes prevention as key to impacting oral and overall health.

The finalized political declaration from the High-Level Meeting on NCDs states that those assembled recognize:

“… oral diseases are a major health and economic burden in many countries and impact people across their lifetime, causing pain, discomfort, disfigurement ,and even death; untreated dental caries in permanent teeth is among the most common health conditions; oral diseases are largely preventable and caused by a range of modifiable risk factors, requiring a continuing focus on social, environmental, and population strategies; and oral diseases can contribute to other noncommunicable diseases.”²

The document further states in its recommendations for strengthening primary healthcare the need to:

“Scale up services to address the excessively high rates of oral health conditions through health promotion, prevention, early detection, and treatment, applying multisectoral strategies and integrating oral health services into primary healthcare and universal health coverage.”²

In addition, there is recognition that oral diseases are linked with other NCDs and share modifiable risk factors including tobacco use, unhealthy diet, and poor access to care. Who is the healthcare provider best suited to measurably impact and reduce the burden of all these NCDs? The dental hygienist! This UN declaration solidifies the dental hygienist as the most powerful practitioner in oral healthcare. This is our moment – let’s seize it.

References

1. Lingjun Y, Bingqin X, Yanfen L, et al. Global burden of oral disorders with projections over the next 30 years. J Periodontol. July 17, 2025.
2. United Nations. Fourth High-level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases. Available at un.org/pga/wp-content/uploads/sites/109/2025/09/Finalized-PD-on-NCDs-and-Mental-Health-REV4-3-September-2025.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2025.

From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. November/December 2025; 23(6):6.