Oral health added to global NCD and mental health agenda

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Tue. 13. January 2026

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NEW YORK, US: At the 80^th session of the UN General Assembly, member states adopted a landmark political declaration on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health. This is the first time that these areas have been integrated within a single framework. Of particular significance for dental professionals, the declaration explicitly recognises oral health as an integral component of the global NCD agenda, placing it alongside major conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Leading international dental and research organisations, including FDI World Dental Federation and the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research, have welcomed the declaration, describing it as a new phase for advocacy, research and collaboration across medical and mental health disciplines. The inclusion of oral health in the declaration on NCDs strengthens the policy mandate for health systems—and by extension dental professionals—to embed prevention within primary healthcare and universal health coverage, reinforcing the role of oral health in broader public health strategies.

Welcoming the outcome, Dr Spyros Vassilopoulos, president of the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), described the declaration as a strong political signal that oral health can no longer be treated as secondary to general health. He noted that embedding oral health within the global NCD and mental health agenda is a formal acknowledgement of the importance of oral health for healthy ageing and social inclusion and that for Europe this provides a particular opportunity for integrated, prevention-oriented care.

The EFP particularly welcomed the declaration’s strong emphasis on equity, prevention and integration across the life-course. Aligning oral health with policies on tobacco control, healthy diets, alcohol reduction and access to essential services, the organisation noted, creates opportunities for more effective, cost-efficient and sustainable health systems, while also supporting mental well-being and resilience.

As co-facilitator of the process leading to the declaration, the World Health Organization played a key role in advancing the inclusion of oral health and aligning it with its global action plan on NCDs. The declaration’s inclusion of oral health reflects sustained multilateral engagement, including advocacy supported by the World Health Organization’s longstanding position that “oral health should be firmly embedded within the NCD agenda and that oral healthcare interventions should be included in national universal health coverage benefit packages”.

As countries move towards the declaration’s 2030 targets, the EFP and other oral health stakeholders are expected to play an important role in translating global commitments into national and local action. This will include strengthening prevention-focused policies, embedding oral health within national NCD strategies and primary healthcare frameworks, and fostering closer collaboration across medical, dental and mental health professions.

Editorial note:

The full declaration can be found here.