In various healthcare settings, non-dental professionals often encounter oral health issues for which, in most cases, they lack training. In other instances, orienting non-dental HCPs to oral health promotes effective interprofessional collaboration and a common risk factor approach in addressing the health and well-being of patients.

Recent global initiatives underscore that addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) present ideal opportunities to promote oral health based on the common risk approach. As of 2020, over 68% of the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States report to have less than 5 dentists per 10 000 population.¹ It is clear now that the prevention and control of oral diseases is beyond the capacities of the existing health systems. One solution is to enhance the capacity of non-dental HCPs to allow them to expand access for oral health to achieve the goal of affordable and accessible health care for all. 

_{1. Health workforce: Dentistry personnel, World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/dentists-(number) (Accessed: 18 August 2023).}