25 April 2019

The Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe warmly welcomes the European Parliament and Council agreement on the new Horizon Europe programme, which will provide an adequate framework for research and innovation post-Horizon 2020 (Framework Programme 9).

In particular, we believe the structure and objectives of the “Health and wellbeing” cluster of Horizon Europe provide the right framework to tackle emerging societal challenges, thanks to a broad emphasis on health throughout the life course and environmental and social determinants of health, which are two key focus areas of the Platform.

Oral health is vital to the general health of EU citizens. Poor oral health can have significant impacts on their quality of life, from childhood, through the links between dental decay and growth, to older adulthood considering the evidence linking poor oral health to a decline in physical and cognitive function.

We are confident that this new framework will contribute to funding knowledge sharing and breakthrough discoveries to reinforce our collective understanding of the links between oral health and general health. A better comprehension of these connections is crucial, in order to adopt oral health prevention and promotion policies that will eventually have a positive impact on the general health of European citizens. The Platform stands ready to offer its expertise to any scientific consortium willing to conduct research in this area.

While a great first step, the most important part of the discussion between both institutions is yet to come. It is essential that Horizon Europe is sufficiently funded so that it can achieve its objectives and benefit European citizens. We strongly support the European Parliament’s position to increase Horizon Europe’s budget to €120 billion for the 2021-2027 period.

Download our statement here: PBOHE – Statement on Horizon Europe