A new publication in the Journal of Dental Research by MetaHealth researchers from WP2 calls for a new way of thinking about oral health promotion. Current oral health promotion mainly focuses on encouraging individuals to brush their teeth, eat less sugar and visit the dentist regularly. While these actions are important, they address only part of theproblem. Oral health is also influenced by many interconnected factors, including healthcare systems, public policy, the food environment and social inequalities.
In the paper, the authors use the Action Scales Model, a systems thinking framework that helps identify where meaningful change can be achieved. The model illustrates thatimproving oral health is about more than clinical care. It also requires changes in how healthcare is organised, what the health system prioritises, and the beliefs and values thatguide policies and professional practice. The authors argue that sustainable improvements in oral health require action beyond the dental setting, including stronger prevention policies, better integration of oral health into broader public health strategies, and system-level changes in how healthcare is organised, how prevention is funded, and howsocial and policy environments influence health behaviours and outcomes.
This publication fits closely with the aims of MetaHealth Work Package 5, which focuses on designing and implementing multi-level interventions to promote healthier lifestyles and prevent dental caries and childhood overweight during the first 1,000 days of life. A systems approach can help identify opportunities for preventing both dental caries andchildhood overweight by addressing shared determinants and creating lasting improvements in health.
Read the full article in the Journal of Dental Research
