The UCSF School of Dentistry held its 12th annual Global Oral Health (GOH) Symposium on May 17. The event took place as an online webinar, attracting participants from around the world.
The symposium provided a platform for dental professionals, researchers and students to delve into critical topics, including oral disease prevention, access to oral healthcare, and innovative policy and research approaches.
This year’s theme was "Global Oral Health Today and Moving Forward: Reflections on the World Health Organization Global Oral Health Status Report." This landmark 2022 report helped to move oral health among the priorities of the World Health Organization for reducing the prevalence of chronic diseases and advancing health equity. Habib Benzian, DDS, MScDPH, PhD, of New York University and one of the editors of the WHO report, delivered the keynote address at the Symposium.
Other featured speakers included Lucy O’Malley, PhD, of the University of Manchester (UK), speaking on workforce planning in oral healthcare. Noha Gomma, BDS, MSc, PhD, of Western University (Canada), presented her work on the biological impacts of the social environment and what that means for oral health. Finally, Thiago Ardenghi, PhD, of the University of Santa Maria (Brazil), spoke about social capital and its potential to improve oral health among children and adults.
Benjamin Chaffee, DDS, MPH, PhD, the director of UCSF School of Dentistry’s Program in Global Oral Health hosted the event. Cristin Kearns, DDS, MBA moderated the discussion sessions.
“The presentations together provided an excellent example of how oral health research not only provides new understanding but also serves as fuel for advocacy that can move policy forward,” noted Dr. Chaffee. “We saw snapshots today of a larger picture, in which oral health researchers and advocates around the globe are making contributions that get us closer to a healthier, more equitable future.”
This year's GOH Symposium marked the first since the passing of Dr. John Greenspan, BDS, PhD, the inaugural Associate Dean for Global Oral Health at the UCSF School of Dentistry. Dr. Greenspan established the Symposium in 2011. The event served as a tribute to his lasting contributions to the field.
Symposium attendees had the opportunity to put forth questions and comments for all the speakers. Attention now turns to the World Health Organization Global Oral Health Action plan, expected to be released sometime this year.
