The Oral Health Foundation has stated that it is proud to endorse and support for the Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe's (PBOHE) new manifesto, ‘Smile your way to a healthy life: Working together for everyone'.

As a member of the PBOHE, the Oral Health Foundation joins the call for policymakers across Europe to take strategic action in promoting and maintaining good oral health and wellbeing for all, ultimately alleviating the strain on societies and healthcare systems.

In a world where the connection between oral health and overall wellbeing is undeniable, the manifesto urges leaders to take bold and decisive action. The manifesto serves as a rallying cry, uniting stakeholders in a shared commitment to prioritise oral health as a key determinant of a flourishing and thriving life.

Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said: ‘This manifesto comes at a crucial time, as societies grapple with the multifaceted challenges posed by healthcare disparities and increasing pressure on public health systems.

‘By advocating for robust policies, this manifesto addresses the root causes of oral health issues, and if suggested policies are implanted, can lead to healthier and happier populations across Europe.'

The manifesto sets out three ways EU policymakers can promote and maintain good oral health for the population:

  • Place oral conditions at the heart of the EU's ambitions to tackle the rising burden of non-communicable diseases

  • Include preventive oral healthcare medicines within the EU's Critical Medicines initiative

  • Dedicate funding from EU programmes such as EU4Health and Horizon Europe towards research in oral health.

The manifesto also proposes three ways policymakers can drive success at government level:

  • Promote and encourage the adoption of best practices which have successfully improved oral health and have reduced risk factors shared with other non-communicable diseases

  • Support the implementation of the WHO Action Plan on Oral Health, with a focus on including essential oral healthcare within Universal Health Coverage

  • Facilitate the implementation of integrated healthcare teams and a primary care workforce which can cater to the needs of the population.

The new PBOHE manifesto can be downloaded by visiting http://www.oralhealthplatform.eu/.