WHO/Europe will hold a three-day international workshop in Samarkand to advance oral health initiatives across Central Asia and the Caucasus.
The event aims to align national strategies with the WHO Global Oral Health Strategy and Action Plan 2023–2030. Experts from WHO, France, Ireland, and Malta will share regional experiences and best practices.
Oral diseases affect 3.5 billion people worldwide, with major cases in the European Region rising 10% since 1990 to 466 million. Productivity losses from these diseases are estimated at US$104 billion. Despite this, oral health remains under-prioritized, with high out-of-pocket costs pushing 1–12% of households into poverty.
Countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus have sought WHO support to strengthen national programs, integrate oral health with noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and universal health coverage (UHC), and reduce access inequalities.
The workshop will provide technical guidance and practical tools, including:
Integrating oral health into NCD prevention, UHC reforms, and health protection agendas.
Reviewing global and regional oral health developments, challenges, and lessons learned.
Aligning policies with WHO’s 2023–2030 strategy and its monitoring framework.
Building capacity for national oral health policies and roadmaps.
Defining essential oral health services for health benefit packages.
Exploring digital solutions and AI applications in oral health.
Identifying subregional collaboration opportunities requiring WHO support.
The three-day event, conducted in Russian and English with simultaneous interpretation, will feature presentations, discussions, and hands-on group sessions. WHO/Europe emphasizes close collaboration with ministries of health, national experts, and regional partners to improve oral health outcomes in the region.