In the fourth episode of Series 2 of Oral Health Matters, host Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London, is joined by two global leaders in oral health to reflect on the historic WHO Bangkok Declaration. This conversation explores the shift from oral health as a neglected periphery of medicine to a global priority, catalysed by the first-ever WHO global meeting on oral health in November 2024.

As the geopolitical landscape shifts in 2026, this episode examines whether the momentum gained in Bangkok can be sustained despite significant changes in international funding and leadership. Our guests provide a deep dive into the "Bangkok spirit," discussing the legal and practical roadmaps created to integrate oral care into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the power of global coalitions to ensure there is "no health without oral health".

Our Guests:

• Paula Vassallo - Chief Dentist in Malta and a prominent advocate for oral health across the European Union and international organizations.
• Irving McKenzie - Chief Dentist in Jamaica and a high-profile policy figure across the Caribbean and the Americas.

Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). 

Follow the conversation by connecting with the Dental Public Health Group on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Instagram.

This is a Research Podcasts production. 

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Episode Credits

Presenter: Richard Watt, UCL 

Guests: Paula Vassallo and Irving McKenzie 

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic