The Dental Health Foundation - Dental Health & Prevention

The publication of "Shaping a Healthier Future, A Strategy for Effective Health Care in the 1990's" by the Department of Health & Children in 1994 is rightly regarded as a major turning point in the development of health policies in the Republic of Ireland. One of the key elements of the strategy outlined in this publication is the orientation of the health services "towards a health promotion approach based on encouraging people to take responsibility for their own health and on providing the environmental support necessary to achieve this". In the subsequent Dental Action Plan, published in May 1994, the development of "oral health promotion and preventive programmes" was highlighted.

Oral health promotion should follow the principles defined in the W.H.O. Ottawa Charter (1986) for health promotion generally which include creating healthy public policy, creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, developing personal skills and re-orientation of dental services. The W.H.O. 1997 Jakarta Declaration, while re-endorsing the principles of the Ottawa Charter, identifies the need to break through traditional boundaries and for the creation of new partnerships for health between the different sectors at all levels of governance in societies. Health promotion is placed firmly at the centre of health development. As such, it is relevant for both developing and developed countries. The Jakarta Declaration identified five priorities for health promotion in the 21st Century:

• to promote social responsibility for health


• to increase investments for health development


• to consolidate and expand 'partnerships for health'


• to increase community capacity and 'empower' the individual in matters of health


• to secure an infrastructure for health promotion

Over the last four years each community care programme of the eight health boards, including the dental staff, have been developing and conducting different oral health promotion programmes. Many of those working on these programmes have utilised the services of the Dental Health Foundation. During the course of these activities it became clear that all health professionals, not just dentists, dental hygienists and dental health educators, had an essential role to play. One factor mentioned frequently by those involved was the need for a single publication in which the current scientific knowledge of the different oral diseases and conditions is presented. Hence this publication.

The aim of this publication is to provide a concise scientifically based document on oral health promotion for use by health professionals in the Republic of Ireland. The document sets out to:

• embrace the contents of current government policy documents in the area of public health


• provide relevant information on the current oral health
  status and oral health practices of Irish children and adults


• define the determinants of oral health and disease


• define oral health terminology


• enumerate common risk factors between oral health and general health


• document methods of disease prevention


• provide information on nutrition and oral health


• provide general information on oral health care products


• provide information on oral health care services in the Republic of Ireland


• document sources of information on oral health in the Republic of Ireland