Oral-Systemic Health Integration: A Policy Brief on Common Risk Factor Approach and Interdisciplinary Models ...

BackgroundNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 71% of global mortality, with 63% of deaths in India attributed to these conditions. Periodontal disease (PD), a chronic immune-inflammatory disorder affecting oral health, significantly contributes to the national burden, impacting productivity and healthcare expenditures. Despite the inclusion of oral cancer management in India's National Program for Prevention and Control of NCDs (2023-2030), PD remains overlooked. The lack of resilience in the Indian oral healthcare system exacerbates the challenge, highlighting the need for integrating medical and dental care to improve early detection, prevention, and management of both systemic and oral diseases.Policy and implicationsThe policy includes adopting CRFA for cost-effective disease management, integrating periodontal health assessments into NCD surveillance, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. This will facilitate strengthening of medical-dental integration (MDI) through shared financing ...