Oral health is critical for overall health and well-being, with direct links to other major health conditions including diabetes, heart disease and poor mental health. Poor oral health also has a negative impact on the global economy, and with oral diseases affecting an estimated 3.5 billion people each year, their economic burden totals $710 billion annually around the world.

Yet oral health has long been left out of traditional healthcare systems and coverage, leading to consistent increases in both the prevalence of oral disease and the inequitable burden of disease among marginalized groups.

This white paper from the World Economic Forum, written in partnership with the American Dental Association, Colgate-Palmolive Company and Henry Schein, outlines the economic rationale for investing in oral health. It also presents concrete action pathways for public, private and civil society leaders for addressing the global epidemic of oral disease.