The UN General Assembly has formally adopted the political declaration of the fourth high-level meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and the promotion of mental health and well-being (HLM4), concluding a negotiation process involving governments and civil society organisations. The declaration sets out renewed international commitments to address NCDs and mental health through coordinated policy action.
The adopted text includes explicit references to oral health in both its preambular and operative sections, marking the first time oral health has been directly acknowledged within a UN high-level meeting declaration. It recognises the global burden of oral conditions, their shared risk factors with other NCDs, and the need to improve access to essential oral healthcare as part of universal health coverage.
Within the broader NCD framework, the declaration positions oral health as part of overall health and well-being and supports integrated, people-centred approaches to prevention and care. It highlights the importance of addressing shared risk factors, strengthening health systems, and improving equity and access to essential services, which are relevant to oral health outcomes alongside other chronic conditions.
The declaration also introduces a set of global targets intended to support monitoring and accountability. These include aims to be achieved by 2030, such as reducing the number of tobacco users, increasing the number of people with controlled hypertension, and expanding access to mental health services. Additional commitments address the regulation of e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products, restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, front-of-pack nutrition labelling, and the elimination of industrially produced trans fats. Mental health and access to affordable medicines and technologies are addressed throughout the document.
At the same time, some stakeholders have noted that compared with earlier drafts, the final text places less emphasis on certain areas, including prevention measures, fiscal policies such as health taxes, and the formal role of civil society. These aspects are likely to remain subjects of ongoing discussion as countries move towards implementation.
The adoption of the political declaration provides a framework for governments, international organisations and other stakeholders to translate high-level commitments into national policies and programmes. It also establishes a reference point for future discussions, including preparations for the 2027 UN high-level meeting on universal health coverage, where progress on these commitments is expected to be reviewed.
Nikolai Sharkov, president of FDI World Dental Federation (FDI), said: “We will use this declaration as an advocacy tool to support our members, hold governments accountable, and accelerate progress on oral health as an integral part of the global response to NCDs and mental health.”
FDI has highlighted the need to build on this momentum to support further progress, particularly ahead of the 2027 UN high-level meeting on universal health coverage. The organisation plans to continue promoting oral health internationally while identifying ways to strengthen the implementation of both new and existing commitments at regional and national levels.
