FDI recognises the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in accelerating the delivery of optimal oral health for all and acknowledges the vital role of the industry in this endeavour. The FDI Vision 2030 industry action group—comprising Colgate, Haleon, Henry Schein, Ivoclar, Planmeca, Solventum and Kenvue—brings together key industry partners to support this global agenda. To explore the group’s work and priorities, FDI spoke with David Kochman, chair of the industry action group and chief corporate affairs officer at Henry Schein.

Mr Kochman, from an industry perspective, how can industry-led surveillance and data systems contribute to strengthening oral health information systems globally?
Industry-led surveillance and data systems help to identify existing care gaps, enhance data quality and foster innovation. These systems gather real-time data on oral health status, disease indicators and treatment efficacy. By integrating medical and dental electronic health records, industry can improve systemic healthcare approaches, reduce clinical risk and build upon the economic case for greater investment into oral healthcare. Given the oral–systemic link, integrated records also enable early detection of health issues and inform treatment plans for medical and dental providers by enabling better coordination across the care continuum, streamlining workflows, reducing costs and improving overall health outcomes.

More broadly, surveillance and data systems, supported by strong public–private partnerships, help ensure early warning of future supply chain challenges and maintain the robust collaborative pathways needed to respond swiftly to future pandemics and other emergencies.

The Vision 2030 industry action group has been actively working to support FDI’s Vision 2030 recommendations and the World Health Organization’s Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023–2030. What progress has been made so far, and how is the group identifying a key focus area to guide its future actions?
In the spirit of the African proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”, partnerships between companies, providers, public health organisations, professional associations and academic institutions are integral to creating change in healthcare. This belief is at the core of the Vision 2030 action group, which was specifically created to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders positioned to catalyse action. Our primary aim is to take concrete action on unifying dental and medical health records and streamlining health systems, ultimately benefiting both patients and providers.

“Partnerships between the profession and industry are fundamental to establishing common data standards.”

The industry action group has identified five key areas—our North Star—where the industry can align with FDI’s Vision 2030 goals and focus collective efforts: point-of-care testing, reimbursement models in oral healthcare, data collection, consumer data and oral health literacy. Members of the action group are actively developing strategic plans for each topic and working closely with the profession to implement meaningful changes.

The role of industry in this project is particularly vital. It extends to driving innovation in data collection technologies and investing in research and development, which are critical for bridging the gap between dental and medical information. Through these strategic collaborations, the private sector can share invaluable technical expertise in data science, strengthening the capacity of global oral health information systems. Partnerships between the profession and industry are fundamental to establishing common data standards, ensuring ethical data governance and building the trust necessary for wide-scale data sharing, all of which are paramount to achieving truly integrated, person-centred care.

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