Oral health is not the responsibility of any single profession or department. If reform is to be meaningful and sustainable, oral health promotion and prevention must sit at the centre of our dental system, not at its margins. Yet prevention and a public health approach is how people retain their natural teeth for life, reduce inequalities, and avoid costly and complex treatment later on. At the Dental Health Foundation, our focus is on promoting prevention and better oral health across the life course. Healthy teeth, gums and mouth are the most functional outcomes, often the most attractive, and they remain the true foundation of sustainable oral health reform.

Source: The Irish Times January 30, 2026 14:33 UTC