In the second 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 health experts to deconstruct the high-stakes political diplomacy behind the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). 

As global health priorities are increasingly dictated by geopolitical manoeuvring rather than scientific consensus, how do we ensure oral health isn't left behind? This episode provides an insider’s look at the "battlegrounds" of UN declarations - where even the placement of a comma is negotiated - and explores the fallout of the US and Argentina’s decision to block the initial declaration in September 2025. From the influence of commercial interests and "hidden" WhatsApp diplomacy to the rising leadership of lower- and middle-income countries, our guests discuss whether this new declaration is a definitive win or simply a tool for future accountability. 

Our Guests: 

• Dr. Taskeen Khan – Director of Research at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) and former global health expert at the WHO. 
• Dr. Habib Benzian – Professor at the University of Sydney and the University of the Western Cape, and a leading figure in the Lancet Commission on Oral Health. 

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.  

In the opening 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 dental public health to navigate the complex and often volatile intersection of politics and healthcare.

As geopolitical landscapes shift toward populist agendas, what happens to the world's most vulnerable populations? This episode provides a critical look at how recent political changes in the US and the Global South are directly impacting oral health funding, research, and equity. From the removal of DEI programming in American universities to the withdrawal of major international health funding in South Africa, our guests explore whether this era of "chaos and uncertainty" can be a catalyst for new, innovative models of global collaboration.

Our Guests:
Dr. Bob Weyant - Professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and a seasoned policy advocate.

Dr. Khabiso Ramphoma - Associate Professor at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, and a rising leader in global oral health research.

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. 

Episode Credits

Presenter:  Richard Watt, UCL

Guests: Bob Weyant, University of Pittsburgh and Khabiso Ramphoma, University of the Western Cape in South Africa

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts  

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic

Oral Health Matters is a podcast from the Dental Public Health Group at UCL and presented by eminent dental public health expert Professor Richard Watt. 

We’ll be in conversation with researchers, policymakers and activists from around the world who are working to better understand the causes and consequences of oral diseases and to identify possible policy solutions to improve oral health. 

So if you're a policy maker, clinician researcher, or member of a community who wants to know more about why oral health matters and what interventions and policies might make a difference, please follow us wherever you find your podcasts. 

Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL, with support from Research Podcasts and funding from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research. 

In episode 6 of Oral Health Matters, Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London is in conversation withDr Benoit Varenne from the World Health Organisation and Dr Dympna Kavanagh, Chief Dental Officer in the Department of Health, Ireland. Together they discuss current and forthcoming developments in global and national oral health policy and how the research community can best support oral health as a public health priority around the world.  

• Read a full transcript 

Credits  

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London  

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts  

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts  

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic  

In episode 5 of Oral Health Matters, Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London is in conversation with Professor Sharon Friel from the Australian National University. and Professor Delan Devakumar, from University College London. Together they discuss developments in the broader global health research agenda and highlight the burning issues specifically linked to equity and commercial determinants.  

• Read a full transcript 

Credits  

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London  

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts  

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts  

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic  

In episode 4 of Oral Health Matters, Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London is in conversation with Dr Lisa Jamieson from the University of Adelaide, Australia and Professor David Conway from the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Lisa has an international reputation for her work on indigenous oral health research and health inequalities and David is an expert in dental public health, oral cancer research and leadership of Childsmile programme in Scotland. Together, they’re discussing how we can best develop and nurture the next generation of oral health researchers.  

• Read a full transcript here 

Further reading  

• Childsmile – child oral health improvement programme for Scotland https://www.childsmile.nhs.scot/ AND https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/medicine/dental/research/childoralhealthchildsmile/  
• Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation https://www.citizenshandbook.org/arnsteinsladder.html  
• Article by Bain et al (2013) Global Health Mentorship: Challenges and Opportunities for Equitable Partnerships https://gh.bmj.com/content/bmjgh/8/11/e013751.full.pdf  

Credits  

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London  

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts  

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts  

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic  

In Episode 3 Richard is in conversation with Mirai Chatterjee from the Self-Employed Women’s Association in India and Professor Blanaid Daly, Dean of the School of Dental Science at Trinity College Dublin. Together they discuss the meaning and value of community engagement in research and ways to promote meaningful partnership working with communities. Mirai has a wealth of experience working with marginalised and disadvantaged communities across India and Blanaid is an experienced clinical researcher who has focused on addressing the oral health needs of homeless people and those with special care needs.  

• Read a full transcript here 

Credits 

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London  

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts  

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts  

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic  

In Episode 2 we're in conversation with Professor Regina Mutave from the Department of Dental Sciences at the University of Nairobi and Professor Manu Mathur from the Centre for Dental Public Health from Queen Mary University London. We're discussing the challenges and opportunities for oral health research in the global south, asking what’s getting in the way of progress and what we can do about it.  

• Read a full transcript here 

Further reading 

Action plan for oral health in South-East Asia 2022–2030 

Credits 

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London  

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts  

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts  

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic  

In Episode 1, Richard is in conversation with Dr Carol Guarnizo-Herreno from the University of Colombia and Professor Marco Peres from the National Dental Centre in Singapore. They discuss why oral health needs to be a more prominent feature of the global public health agenda and what the key issues are. Carol is co-lead of the CORE programme and her main research interests lies in exploring the political determinants of oral health inequalities. Marco is an internationally renowned researcher, originally from Brazil but now leading a research team in Singapore.

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London  

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts  

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts  

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic  

Full transcript available here: https://researchpodcasts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/OHM-Ep1-transcript.pdf

Welcome to Oral Health Matters, a brand new podcast from the Dental Public Health Group at University College London and presented by eminent dental public health expert Professor Richard Watt.

• Read a full transcript of the trailer here

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