As the new European Commission took office on 1 November, the Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe wishes to welcome the incoming Commissioners and is looking forward to continuing to work with them in an open and constructive manner, and to provide advice and recommendations to them on how to improve oral health in Europe through improvement in prevention of oral disease and promotion of good oral health. The EU has a crucial role to play in protecting the health of its citizens.

We would like to encourage Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Mr Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, science and innovation, Mr Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and Ms Corina Cretu, Commissioner for Regional Policy, to work together and take action toward:

• Mainstreaming including oral health in the EU’s health policy
• Ensuring research in oral health data collection is effectively functioning across Europe
• Increasing oral health education in the EU
• Addressing the issue of oral health inequalities at regional and local levels