The Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe welcomes the opportunity to provide the perspective of a European non-state actor to the WHO’s Draft Global Action Plan on Oral Health. On 28 May 2022, the Platform applauded the adoption of the Global Strategy on Oral Health at the 75^th World Health Assembly, which recognised the significant burden of oral health on health systems across the world and represented a crucial first step in the implementation of the WHA74.5 resolution on oral health.

The Draft Action Plan on Oral Health aligns well overall with the Platform’s goals to integrate oral health into general health as well as reduce the burden of oral diseases and take action to address health inequalities in Europe.

In a comprehensive response to the WHO’s consultation, available for download below, the Platform outlined a number of priorities and recommendations that we believe will be essential to implement a successful Global Strategy on Oral Health by 2030.

• We were very pleased to note that the Action Plan acknowledges the importance of a strong public health focus in improving oral health.
• We commended the Action Plan for focusing on oral health promotion and oral disease prevention which are integrated and mutually reinforced with other relevant NCD prevention strategies and regulatory policies.
• We called for the inclusion of specific actions in the Action Plan to address unacceptable, unfair and avoidable oral health inequalities.
• We suggested that the proposed actions are prioritised according to the specific oral health needs, priorities and capabilities of the different countries and regions.
• We recommended that the European Region develops complementary, specific indicators which would be recognised as particularly relevant by decision-makers in Europe.
• In addition, we encourage that the European Region takes on a leadership role as well as provides mentoring and support in the implementation of the Action Plan.

In the coming months, the Platform stands ready to support the implementation of the Action Plan on Oral Health’s proposed actions and to collaborate with the WHO and European decision makers to ensure that good oral health will become a reality for all in Europe by 2030.