WHO/Europe, in close collaboration with the University of Glasgow (United Kingdom), together with the Ministry of Health of Romania will host the workshop of the Southeast Europe Child Oral Health Network in Bucharest, Romania. The workshop, which is funded by the Borrow Foundation, will bring together policy-makers and national experts from countries participating in the Network and from observer countries.
The meeting marks an important milestone in accelerating action on child oral health – one of the most neglected areas of public health – and in advancing the agenda of the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health 2023–2030.
The burden of oral disease in the WHO European Region is high, affecting roughly half of the population. In 2019, the Region recorded an estimated 466 million cases of major oral diseases. 1 in 3 people over the age of 5 has tooth decay in permanent teeth, and nearly 40% of children aged 1–9 years have caries in deciduous (baby) teeth. These conditions disproportionately affect children in socioeconomically deprived communities, contributing to wider health inequalities across the Region.
The workshop aims to strengthen regional collaboration, support evidence-based policy development and lay the foundation for a sustainable multicountry child oral health network.
Workshop highlights
The 2-day workshop will bring together experts and stakeholders from 13 south-east European countries, as well representatives from other states across Caucasus and central Asia.
The event will open with remarks from senior officials from Romania and WHO/Europe, followed by a comprehensive overview of oral health improvement programmes globally and from the European Region presented by experts from the University of Glasgow and WHO.
The workshop will explore the robust scientific evidence underpinning Childsmile, Scotland’s national child oral health improvement programme, which is sponsored by the Scottish Government (United Kingdom), delivered by NHS Scotland and evaluated by the University of Glasgow, while creating opportunities for 2-way learning and sharing of best practice with participants.
The workshop will launch a new platform designed to support countries in developing and strengthening their own child oral health improvement programmes in south-east Europe and beyond.
Key topics
Key workshop topics include:
- identifying shared challenges and strategic priorities;
- strengthening national child oral health policies and programmes;
- exchanging evidence and real-life experience from Member States; and
- mobilizing coordinated action aligned with the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health 2023–2030.
The event’s participants will review achievements and gaps in current programmes, and explore opportunities for joint initiatives, capacity development and technical support.
WHO/Europe will continue supporting countries in the Region by providing evidence-based guidance, technical expertise and opportunities for joint implementation and knowledge exchange.