>> ORAL HEALTH FORUM

About 72% of India is rural who doesn’t have easy access to oral care and the challenge is real. Till date oral health is given low priority. There are lot of misconceptions, wrong beliefs and negligence towards oral health. Hence it becomes essential on the part of health care delivery system to adopt preventive and promotive strategies.

With increasing incidence of oral diseases and lack of preventive measures it becomes imperative to adopt self care home based preventive practices which are practical and economical.

To improve oral health scenario of nation, it is crucial to bring affordable, accessible and sustainable low cost oral health care methods into mainstream through community participation. This will tap the yet undiscovered potential of dentistry.

For sustainance Oral Health should be integral part of Primary health care under Natioanl Rural Health Mission

India may be progressing economically but its oral health status is yet far from satisfactory. There is strong need for implementation of effective and appropriate oral health promotion policies .Integration of oral health with general health is one of the key factor proposed for successful and productive society. The strategies chosen to improve and maintain oral health need to be based on primary health care and multi-sectoral approaches.

THEME

Enriching Oral Health through informed policy decisions

FOCUS

Community Oral Health

RECOMMENDATIONS

• To Analyze & offer oral health solutions to the citizens
• Develop cutting edge preventive approaches
• Recommend most effective ways of prevention
• Strategies to improve access to oral care

STRATEGIES

• Establish linkages with primary health care system
• Develop promotional policies & plans to improve community oral health
• To utilize the outcomes of the research for future development

MOTTO

Oral health task force is all designed to promote positive oral health through preventive & promotive strategies. The motto is to improve oral health scenario by developing Public- Private Partnerships, co-ordinate oral health services, nationwide school based programmes and to promote evidence based oral health messages. In order to achieve this ambitious target, there needs to be a clear focus on provision and funding of oral health services. It is a supreme body to provide ongoing support for all teaching, training and research endeavours. It extends its benefit to the entire country. It needs to be based on country wide plans and policies to improve oral health scenario. This will have impact on the Indian populations to attain highest possible standards of oral health. From a strategic perspective, our country must demand strong advocacy, clear structure, robust resources, high visibility, widespread community involvement and objective accountability. It is self evident that our country must identify and capitalize its strength, weaknesses and recognize its efforts that resonate within its own priority.