Haleon (formerly GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare) and the Indian Dental Association (IDA) recently successfully held the inaugural “DENTAL 20” (D20) international symposium at the Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai, India.
Themed “Advancing Oral Health in India and Beyond,” the two-day conference, dedicated to promoting global oral health collaboration, is inspired by the G20’s philosophy of “Shared Responsibility, Shared Progress” and serves as a key strategic dialogue platform for global oral health.
Despite continued efforts to improve oral health, significant global gaps remain in oral health outcomes, access to dental services, education, and policy standardization.
The symposium brought together leading experts, policymakers, academic leaders, and industry representatives from India, along with key representatives from the International Dental Federation (FDI) and its regional organizations in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and North America, to discuss the future path of global oral health development.
In her opening remarks, Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare of India, stated, “The Indian government prioritizes the role of oral health in overall public health and is committed to improving oral healthcare infrastructure and promoting universal health. The D20 Symposium embodies this commitment.”
Dr. Ashok Doble, Honorary Secretary General of the International Dental Association, noted, “Oral health is closely linked to overall health, yet significant inequalities persist globally. By bringing together international forces, the D20 Symposium represents a crucial step forward in promoting improved oral health outcomes worldwide.”
Mr. Enzo Bondioni, Executive Director of FDI, also stated, “D20 provides a valuable opportunity to achieve our 2030 Vision. Through cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange, we are making progress towards improving the quality and accessibility of oral healthcare services worldwide.”
The symposium held in-depth discussions on three key themes:
Learning from international experience to promote policy translation into practice: Participants explored how to translate theoretical policies into concrete action through cross-border collaboration and sharing of success stories.
Promoting the integration of prevention and early detection models: Emphasizing the use of advanced technologies and industry engagement to help integrate innovative prevention concepts into national health systems to reduce the risk of oral disease.
Promoting standardization in dental education, clinical practice, and policy: Building on existing national efforts, further efforts will be made to establish globally harmonized dental best practices and benchmarks.
Mr. Navneet Saluja, General Manager of Haleon’s ISC Business Unit, said, “We believe oral health is a core, yet often overlooked, component of overall health.
Co-hosting D20 with IDA demonstrates our unwavering commitment to improving oral health in India and globally, and our ongoing efforts to help people achieve their vision of healthier lives.”
The D20 International Symposium is widely regarded as a milestone event in global oral health, fostering research and technical collaboration while laying the foundation for a more inclusive and sustainable oral health system in the future.
