Integral to FDI’s Advocacy strategy is Vision 2030: Delivering Optimal Oral Health for All (Vision 2030). Launched in January 2021, the report identifies challenges that will confront dentistry and the oral health community over the next decade and it proposes strategies for how these can be turned into opportunities to improve oral health, reduce oral health inequalities, and contribute to reducing the global burden of oral diseases.

Vision 2030 aims to assist the profession in realizing delivery of optimal oral health to all – with no person left behind. The report is constructed around three pillars, each with a major goal. These pillars are supported by a strategy for education that will create a responsive and resilient profession, with the knowledge and skills to lead systems reforms.

FDI recognizes the fundamental importance of oral health to overall health and well-being. It is a basic human right. However, many still lack access to essential, quality oral healthcare and services and major inequalities still exist, both within and between countries. Even though oral diseases are largely preventable, the global burden remains unacceptably high, with the combined global prevalence of dental caries (tooth decay), periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss standing at 45%. This is higher than the prevalence of any other noncommunicable disease (NCD).

The capacity building workshops encompass the three strategic goals of FDI: Knowledge transfer, Advocacy and Capacity building. They are also in line with FDI’s Vision 2030: Delivering Optimal Oral health for All report, which makes the case for upstream, systems-level change to achieve real and important improvements in oral health and sets a blueprint for achieving optimal oral health for all over the coming decade.