Gum Health Day puts prevention in focus

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 12. May 2026

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LEIPZIG, Germany: Gum Health Day 2026 marks the start of a three-year global awareness campaign by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) under the theme “empowering lives”. Observed annually on 12 May, Gum Health Day seeks to empower the public through knowledge and awareness of the connections between gingival health, well-being and quality of life. For dental professionals, it invites a renewed focus on engagement with local communities and the latest advances in periodontal and implant dentistry.

The EFP has launched the campaign to broaden the scope and impact of Gum Health Day. In an interview published by the EFP, Dr Spyros Vassilopoulos, then president of the federation and now chair of the Communication and Engagement Committee, explained: “One important change is that the campaign will not be limited to a single day. The idea is to bring ‘empowering lives’ to life throughout the year.” He explained that campaign content will be disseminated throughout the year in connection with relevant health awareness dates and events. Additionally, the free preventive screenings piloted during EuroPerio11 in Austria will be a fixture of EFP events. The first of these were provided in March in connection with the Perio Master Clinic 2026 held in Azerbaijan.

The campaign for this year focuses on creating knowledge and awareness around the prevention, early detection and broader health implications of periodontal disease. The second and third years of the campaign will focus on self-care and the link between oral health and overall well-being, respectively.

Clinicians are key to the success of Gum Health Day, and Dr Vassilopoulos highlighted the many opportunities for their involvement. He said: “Dental professionals can take part in ways that fit their daily practice and professional environment. They can use the Gum Health Day materials in clinics and universities, share evidence-based messages with patients and support initiatives led by their national societies.”

Dr Vassilopoulos emphasised the importance of the wider oral health community to the campaign: “Oral health professionals, dental hygienists, educators and students all have a role to play. Gum Health Day strengthens their position as trusted ambassadors for gum health and overall well-being,” he said.

SEPA consensus highlights planning and prevention in implant dentistry

Dr Beatriz de Tapia, Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration board member responsible for training and research. (Image: Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration)

Gum Health Day’s emphasis on prevention is echoed in a new expert consensus document from the Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration (SEPA) titled “Influence of surgical and prosthetic factors on peri-implant health or disease”. Published in the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, the document draws on expertise from dental technicians, periodontists and prosthodontists to provide clinical recommendations on prosthetic design and surgical planning to reduce the risk of peri-implant complications.

The recommendations are grouped into three main areas. The first concerns surgical factors, including 3D implant positioning, hard- and soft-tissue requirements, guided surgery, placement timing and prosthetic compensation for compromised positioning. The second addresses transmucosal components, including the need for intermediate abutments and recommendations on abutment height, shape, material and timing of placement. The third focuses on the final prosthesis, including retention type, emergence profile, access for oral hygiene, superstructure materials, overdenture connections, and the passive fit and accuracy of implant-supported prostheses produced through digital workflows. Together, these recommendations frame peri-implant disease prevention as a process that begins at treatment planning

Speaking on the landmark consensus, co-author Dr Ignacio Sanz Sánchez, a researcher at the Complutense University of Madrid in Spain, commented in a press release: “This guidance document stems from the need to offer clinicians a practical framework to prevent peri-implant diseases from the outset of treatment, taking into account both surgical and prosthetic considerations.”

First author Dr Beatriz de Tapia, SEPA board member for training and research, added: “Implementing these recommendations may have a meaningful impact both nationally and internationally, by providing clear and consistent criteria for clinicians and dental technicians and supporting more predictable decision-making in both clinical and laboratory settings.”

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Clinical consensus documents European Federation of Periodontology Gum Health Day Periodontal health Periodontal research Periodontal therapy Prevention SEPA

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