Colgate-Palmolive & WHO Foundation Partner for Oral Health

Oral diseases affect 3.7 billion people globally, making them some of the most common yet under-recognised noncommunicable diseases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Despite their prevalence, these conditions frequently receive insufficient attention within healthcare systems, creating a significant gap in global public health priorities.

In response to this challenge, Colgate-Palmolive has unveiled a multi-year partnership with the WHO Foundation to bolster the WHO's oral health initiatives.

The collaboration, which was announced at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, is designed to expand oral health education and increase awareness of oral diseases on a global scale.

Ram Raghavan, President of Enterprise Oral Care at Colgate-Palmolive, says: "At Colgate-Palmolive, we are driven by our purpose to reimagine a healthier future for all – and to make more smiles.

"We're launching this collaboration with the WHO Foundation given its unique position to support global health challenges and Colgate's leadership position in oral health as the brand that's in more homes than any other."

He adds: "Oral health is critical – and too often overlooked – part of the global health agenda.

"We are committed to elevating oral health as a public health priority by scaling prevention and education and supporting evidence-based solutions that help strengthen health systems and improve lives across communities around the world."

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Strengthening global oral health systems

The partnership seeks to reinforce education initiatives, facilitate the integration of oral health into national healthcare systems and elevate awareness of oral health as a fundamental public health concern.

The WHO Foundation serves to connect funders with high-impact health programmes that advance the WHO's broader mission.

By concentrating on preventive oral health strategies, evidence-based policy development and enhanced public understanding of the connection between oral health and overall wellbeing, the collaboration could create meaningful improvements in communities worldwide.

Anil Soni, CEO of the WHO Foundation, says: "The WHO Foundation supports WHO's mission by mobilising private funding in support of public health priorities.

"Oral health plays an essential role in overall health and progress depends on long-term investment in prevention, trusted guidance and strong health systems.

"Support like this helps enable WHO's work to advance oral health and improve health outcomes for communities around the world."

Addressing persistent healthcare barriers

While oral health represents a cornerstone of overall health and wellbeing, it remains underprioritised within numerous health systems globally.

This challenge is frequently compounded by factors such as economic status, education levels, health literacy and healthcare access limitations.

The partnership between Colgate-Palmolive and the WHO Foundation is designed to support the WHO in tackling these persistent barriers, which currently affect approximately half of the global population.

The initiative aims to assist the WHO's work in embedding oral health within wider public health frameworks and healthcare systems.

Ann Tracy, EVP and Chief Sustainability Officer at Colgate-Palmolive, says on LinkedIn: "By supporting and strengthening health systems, we are not just improving smiles, we are building a healthier, more sustainable future for generations to come.

"I'm so happy to be at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum to help launch Colgate-Palmolive's partnership with the WHO Foundation, which will help expand oral health education across the globe."

Three strategic pillars for action

The collaboration between Colgate-Palmolive and the WHO Foundation is structured around three core pillars designed to establish oral health as a foundational healthcare priority.

The first pillar focuses on scaling oral health education by embedding fundamental prevention and education principles within government health infrastructure.

This approach ensures that communities receive consistent, evidence-based guidance on maintaining good oral health practices.

The second pillar centres on supporting policy and guidance, assisting Ministries of Health in developing evidence-based and cost-effective recommendations for incorporating oral health interventions into national healthcare systems.

This work helps governments integrate oral health into broader public health strategies.

The third pillar aims at increasing prioritisation by enhancing awareness through strategic, global and cross-sector engagement to strengthen the profile of oral health.

These three pillars work together to create a comprehensive framework for advancing oral health globally:

• Scaling oral health education: embedding fundamental prevention and education principles within government health infrastructure
• Supporting policy and guidance: assisting Ministries of Health in developing evidence-based and cost-effective recommendations for incorporating oral health interventions into national healthcare systems
• Increasing prioritisation: enhancing awareness through strategic, global and cross-sector engagement to strengthen the profile of oral health

Robert Goodfellow, Senior Director, Global Corporate Communications and CSR at Colgate-Palmolive, said on LinkedIn: “This initiative builds on the Colgate brand’s abiding commitment to provide communities with oral health education and resources.

“The Company recently announced that the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures programme has reached approximately two billion children and their families around the world since 1991 with oral health education.

“As someone who believes in the power of purpose and partnerships to make a real impact on people’s health and wellbeing, I couldn’t be prouder to be here.”