The Government of Bangladesh has endorsed its first National Oral Health Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2030) to address the burden of oral diseases and close critical gaps in service delivery and workforce capacity.
The strategy aligns national efforts with the WHO Global Oral Health Strategy and the WHO Regional Action Plan for Oral Health in South-east Asia (2022-2030). In line with the regional targets, the strategy implementation is expected to contribute to a 33.3% relative reduction in premature mortality from oral cancer and a 25% relative reduction in the prevalence of untreated dental caries by 2030.
Despite its importance, oral health remains one of the most neglected areas of public health, both globally and in Bangladesh. More than 80% of the population in Bangladesh is affected by at least one oral disease, and nearly 14.000 new cases of oral cancer were reported in 2020. Moreover, 71% of people surveyed claimed never having received any form of dental care.
The main contributing factors to this situation include limited access to oral health services in rural areas, low levels of health literacy, an insufficient oral health workforce, and weak integration of oral health within primary health care.
For example, Bangladesh is reported to have 0.6 dental surgeons per 10.000 population, and no data are available on dental assistants or dental therapists for the period 2014–2019.
Together, these systemic gaps delay prevention, early detection and treatment across the population, and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable groups such as children, older adults, people living in poverty, and communities in rural and informal urban settlements.
Laying the groundwork for oral health reform
In recent years, Bangladesh has taken several important steps to address key risk factors for oral diseases and advance public health. These include the introduction of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to reduce diet-related health risks, as well as active participation in the 2024 Bangkok Declaration on Oral Health, demonstrating the country’s commitment to regional cooperation in tackling the burden of oral diseases.
Building on this momentum, and under the leadership and guidance of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Non-Communicable Disease Control (NCDC) Programme of the Directorate General of Health Services led the development of the National Oral Health Strategy and Action Plan of Bangladesh (2025–2030), with technical support from WHO, and in collaboration with the ARK Foundation.
“Bangladesh has shown real leadership by taking action on key risk factors like sugar consumption and by engaging actively in regional commitments such as the Bangkok Declaration,” said Dr Nalika Gunawardena, Regional Adviser for Noncommunicable Diseases, in WHO SEARO. Dr Nalika Gunawardena contributed to the development of the strategy and highlighted how “This National Oral Health Strategy turns the commitment into a practical roadmap, one that will help strengthen services, expand the workforce and deliver improvements in oral health for people across the country”.
A strategic framework for action
The strategy aligns national priorities with the WHO Global Oral Health Strategy, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and NCD prevention goals, advancing health equity, quality of life, and other development objectives. It was developed through a participatory, evidence-based process involving a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of national experts, and the support of WHO.
It is structured around six strategic objectives:
- strengthening governance and leadership through multisectoral collaboration;
- improving access to affordable, essential oral health services, particularly for vulnerable and remote populations;
- expanding and upskilling the oral health workforce, including community health workers;
- promoting prevention through healthy behaviours, policy implementation, health education and community outreach;
- strengthening data systems and research to inform planning and policymaking; and
- ensuring sustainable financing mechanisms to support long-term impact.
Together, these efforts are expected to deliver measurable improvements in oral health outcomes across Bangladesh by 2030. This is why the implementation of the new Oral Health Strategy represents a critical priority. WHO reiterates its full commitment to supporting the Government in translating this strategy into concrete action and measurable results.
“The endorsement of Bangladesh’s first National Oral Health Strategy and Action Plan marks an important milestone”, stated WHO Representative Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, after the strategy was endorsed by the Government of Bangladesh. “The priority now is its effective implementation. Turning this strategy into action will be essential to reduce avoidable suffering and improve oral health outcomes for millions of people.”
