Atlantic Fellows’ work to establish oral health as a human right

Oral health is integral to overall well-being, yet it remains one of the most neglected areas in global health. According to WHO, over 3.5 billion people worldwide are affected by oral diseases. Atlantic Fellows worldwide and from across the Atlantic Fellows programs are working to improve oral health and its impact on mental health, social confidence and employment prospects.?

“Oral diseases have a wide-ranging impact on general health and the quality of life. They are preventable yet neglected in global health frameworks and national health plans,” says Bulela Vava , Atlantic Fellow and the president and founder of the Public Oral Health Forum in South Africa. He leads a diverse and inclusive network of progressive oral health professionals focused on ensuring that oral health care services are accessible and responsive to the needs of all. “Oral diseases reduce productivity, whether it is at school or in the workplace, affecting performance and the ability for many to earn an income. And the greatest impact of this burden is often felt by the marginalized and the poor.”?

Bulela advocates for the UN Declaration on Human Rights, particularly Article 25, which establishes the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being, explicitly connecting oral health to the broader framework of human rights. At the first WHO Global Oral Health Meeting in Thailand, he along with other healthcare leaders endorsed the Bangkok Declaration that states that oral health should be included in universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030.?

Despite its significance, oral health often receives minimal attention in national and global health strategies. WHO statistics show that tooth decay is one of the most common oral health problems globally, with disparities rooted in socioeconomic, geographic and systemic inequalities.

Adekemi Adeniyan , an Atlantic Fellow and dentist from Nigeria, says that elevating oral health as a recognized and prioritized human right calls for a comprehensive, multifaceted approach combining grassroots advocacy, digital innovation and policy reform.

She says: “We can start with our children, and it means that we have to equip them with the knowledge and the tools that they need to understand this. Yes, oral health is a right, and I am going to fight for it. We need to spread the message, even to the grassroots, to our rural communities, to the people, to every home.”?

She is calling for advocacy at the community level and wants local leaders such as teachers, religious figures, and community organizers to be encouraged to act as oral health champions. She says that grassroots initiatives include the setting up of hubs for education and basic dental care, implementing peer-to-peer learning programs and the hosting of oral health events embedded in local contexts. She also suggests that digital tools, including mobile apps and virtual reality experiences, can enhance learning and outreach, and would like more media campaigns and data-driven strategies to amplify advocacy and make oral health education and services more accessible and relatable.

With support from the Atlantic Institute, Adekemi has collaborated with Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, Alfredo Coro, to create a children’s book on oral health, “The Girl Who Found Her Smile,” that has been translated into several languages and is being adapted into an interactive XR series.?

Madiyarasi Vengidasan, an Atlantic Fellow and dentist based in Malaysia, emphasizes the importance of integrating oral health into universal health coverage (UHC) and the broader health care systems. Madiyarasi works with the public health care system and is the founder of Dental Relief Malaysia, an organization that provides oral health care for marginalized groups, especially refugees and undocumented people.?

“A lot of people are aware of oral healthcare, but not exactly everywhere, not exactly like how we want it to be. We want people to know that oral health care is as important as medical healthcare,” she says.

By integrating oral health into broader health agendas, leveraging innovation and empowering communities, Atlantic Fellows are working for a future where oral health is not a privilege but a universal human right.?

Adapted from the webinar “Oral Health as a Right”, hosted by the Atlantic Institute in which three Atlantic Fellows outlined why oral health is a human right and their work to uphold this basic right.

Adekemi Adeniyan is an Atlantic Fellow in Health Equity US + Global.?

Bulela Vava is an Atlantic Fellow in Health Equity in South Africa

Madiyarasi Vengidasan is an Atlantic Fellow in Health Equity in Southeast Asia