FDI welcomes historic UN declaration recognising oral health in global NCD response
GENEVA: In a landmark moment for global oral health, the FDI World Dental Federation has welcomed the formal adoption of the Political Declaration of the Fourth High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being (HLM4) by the United Nations General Assembly.
The decision, adopted recently in Geneva, concludes months of intensive negotiations and sustained civil society advocacy, and marks a historic breakthrough for oral health at the United Nations level.
A first for oral health at the United Nations
For the first time in the history of a UN High-Level Meeting, oral health is explicitly recognised in both the preambular and operative sections of an outcome declaration. The text formally acknowledges the global burden of oral diseases, their shared risk factors with other NCDs, and the urgent need to scale up access to essential oral healthcare as part of universal health coverage (UHC).
This recognition elevates oral health from the margins of global health discussions and firmly positions it as an integral component of overall health, well-being, and sustainable development.
Integrating oral health into the global NCD agenda
The Political Declaration reaffirms that oral diseases cannot be addressed in isolation. By strengthening commitments to integrated, people-centred approaches for NCD prevention and control, it creates new opportunities to tackle oral diseases alongside conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental health disorders.
The Declaration also reinforces global priorities around prevention, equity, and access to essential health services, aligning oral health more closely with broader health system strengthening efforts worldwide.
A decade of advocacy comes to fruition
This milestone reflects more than ten years of sustained advocacy by the global oral health community, led by FDI and supported by its members and partners across more than 130 countries.
“This adoption is a defining moment for global oral health,” said FDI President Asst. Prof. Dr Nikolai Sharkov. “Despite delays and political challenges, the international community has now formally recognised oral diseases as part of the NCD agenda. It affirms that oral health is fundamental to overall health, equity, and sustainable development, and must be fully integrated into national NCD strategies and health systems.”
New global targets and stronger accountability
Beyond oral health, the Declaration introduces a set of new global and tracer targets, providing, for the first time, a shared reference point to monitor progress and strengthen accountability across countries. Among the fast-track goals to be achieved by 2030 are:
• 150 million fewer tobacco users
• 150 million more people with controlled hypertension
• 150 million more people with access to mental health care
The text also includes commitments to regulate e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products, restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling, and eliminate industrially produced trans fats.
Progress tempered by ongoing challenges
While welcoming the Declaration, FDI has noted that compared with earlier drafts, certain areas were weakened, particularly those related to prevention, health taxation, and the explicit recognition of civil society’s role. These gaps highlight the continued influence of commercial determinants of health and underscore the need for ongoing vigilance and accountability.
Nevertheless, the adoption of the HLM4 Political Declaration provides a formal political mandate for governments, international organisations, and stakeholders to translate commitments into concrete national action.
From global commitment to national impact
For FDI and the global dental community, this moment represents both an endpoint and a beginning. The Declaration now serves as a powerful advocacy tool to support national dental associations, hold governments accountable, and accelerate progress on oral health as part of the global NCD and mental health response.
FDI has emphasized the importance of leveraging this momentum in the lead-up to the 2027 UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that oral health commitments are elevated and implemented at regional and national levels, where they can deliver lasting improvements in population health.
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