title: Dental public health capacity worldwide: Results of a global survey.
abstract: The World Federation of Public Health Associations' Oral Health Working Group (WFPHA OHWG) carried out a survey to establish the extent of global dental public health (DPH) capacity. Senior stakeholders in DPH completed 124 surveys, covering 73 countries and all WHO regions. The survey evaluated DPH workforce within the country, funding, education, current services, and integration between public health and DPH in countries across the world. In 62 per cent of countries, DPH is only partially integrated in the public health system, while in 25 per cent of countries it has not yet been formally integrated. DPH programs at Masters level are available in 44 per cent of countries. Over half of countries have 0 to 10 trained DPH professionals. Because both poor oral and general health share several common risk factors, DPH must be integrated into national health systems and budgets, with an emphasis on having trained DPH specialists available in every country to collaborate in healthcare policy and provision.
authors.affiliation: World Federation of Public Health Associations, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lomazzi
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Centre for International Child Oral Health, 26-29 Drury Lane, Rooms 329-331, London, UK.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wordley
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Centre for International Child Oral Health, 26-29 Drury Lane, Rooms 329-331, London, UK. raman.bedi@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bedi
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011636:Public Health Dentistry / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: community dentistry; dental public health; population health; prevention