Closing the Oral Health Divide: System-Level Care for Mothers and Young Children—A Forgotten Disparity in the United States,United Kingdom,and Sweden

Abstract

Maternal and child oral health disparities often share similar phenomena: high disease burdens, limited access to care, and insufficient preventive strategies. These systemic challenges undermine community confidence in oral health solutions. The Eastman Oral Health Institutes in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and the United States of America, through the Eastman International Alliance, facilitated critical discussions in November 2024 on this topic in international grand rounds by highlighting the need to translate research into impactful oral health policies. This special communication calls for global action to elevate maternal and child oral health into system health by leveraging policies, enhancing service integration, addressing inappropriate industry influence (particularly in terms of sugar consumption), and using digital technology. We describe the often-overlooked oral health divide in high-income countries, using the United States, United Kingdom, and Sweden as examples, to assess shared challenges, distinct obstacles, and opportunities for global collaboration. The differences between developed countries including the United States, United Kingdom, and Sweden and the challenges faced by lower-income nations underscore the need for shared learning and a global commitment to integrated oral health care. Policymakers, health care providers, and public health advocates worldwide must work together to break down barriers and strengthen services.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

Improving maternal and child oral health requires a system-level approach in all countries. Integrating oral health into system health is not just an option but a necessity for building healthier communities. Leveraging partnerships between dental academic institutions and oral health delivery organizations that are embedded in medical institutions, such as the Eastman Oral Health Institutes globally, offers a powerful vehicle for identifying, sharing, and scaling effective solutions to improve system-level oral health.