Oral diseases remain the most common noncommunicable conditions in the Western Pacific Region, affecting an estimated 960 million people and imposing significant social and economic costs, despite being largely preventable.
To address this, Member States have adopted the Regional Implementation Plan to strengthen essential oral health care within primary health care (PHC) and advance universal health coverage (UHC). World Oral Health Day serves as a platform to promote these commitments and accelerate regional action.
A webinar organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific will provide updates on progress, share country experiences, and discuss strategies for delivering oral health services through PHC.
The program will present the Regional Implementation Plan for Oral Health, highlight integration efforts in PHC, and feature experiences from Cambodia, Tonga, Malaysia, and the Solomon Islands. A partner roundtable will include insights from non-State actors and other UN organizations, exploring opportunities to strengthen oral health within national UHC benefit packages.
Speakers include Dr Huong Tran, Director of the Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control, WHO Western Pacific; Dr Rolando Enrique Domingo, Coordinator of the Noncommunicable Disease Unit; and Dr Yuriko Harada, Noncommunicable Disease Unit. Country perspectives will be shared by Dr Seth Mana (Cambodia), Dr Ellison Vane (Solomon Islands), Dr Sisilia Fifita (Tonga), and Dr Fauziah binti Ahmad (Malaysia). Partner insights will come from Professor Michelle Segarra (University of the Philippines), Dr Vasoontara S. Yiengprugsawan (Asian Development Bank), and Professor Hiroshi Ogawa (Secretariat of the Asian Chief Dental Officer Meeting).
Participants will receive joining instructions via email after registration.