The World Health Organization’s Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health 2023–2030 has received the prestigious Aubrey Sheiham Award for Distinguished Research in Dental Public Health Sciences. The honor was announced by the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR), a non-governmental organization officially affiliated with WHO.
This marks a historic moment, as it is the first time the award has been given to a global health policy document rather than a scientific research paper. The award highlights the impact of evidence-based policy and system-level reform in advancing public oral health.
The plan was developed with contributions from WHO technical teams, Member States, global partners, and the wider oral health community. It promotes the integration of oral health into broader healthcare systems, especially within primary health care and noncommunicable disease frameworks.
Dr. Benoit Varenne, Dental Officer in WHO’s oral health programme, welcomed the recognition. “This award is a strong validation of our shared commitment to make oral health a global health priority,” he said. “It confirms that oral diseases are serious public health challenges and must be addressed within wider health system reforms.”
The award is named after the late Professor Aubrey Sheiham of University College London, a well-known advocate for evidence-based and public health-focused dental care. His work helped shape the inclusion of oral health in universal health coverage and international development goals.
WHO has announced it will donate the prize money to the One World campaign. This move reflects the values of the award and supports global efforts to strengthen public health systems.
The award will be officially presented at the IADR Conference in Barcelona on Thursday, 26 June, from 17:30 to 18:30 (CEST).