Strategy to 2030

Our Strategy to 2030 explains how we will improve oral health and reduce inequalities across the UK. It focuses on three areas – People, Partners and Policy – working together to create long-term change.  

People  

Our work starts with helping the public enjoy better oral health, wherever they live and whatever their circumstances. By 2030 we will:  

• Support people to feel more confident caring for their teeth and gums.  

• Increase awareness of the link between oral health and general health, especially diabetes and heart disease.  

• Make oral health easier to understand and talk about at home, at school, in the workplace and online.  

• Reduce barriers to prevention and access to care for those most at risk.  

Campaigns will remain central to how we reach people. We will grow the impact of National Smile Month, Mouth Cancer Action Month, Safe Smiles and launch new campaigns that respond to emerging needs and public priorities.  

Partners  

We achieve the most when organisations work together. Over the rest of the decade, we will:  

• Work with dental and health professionals, researchers and educators to support prevention and early intervention.  

• Collaborate with manufacturers and retailers to promote clearer and more responsible product information.  

• Partner with workplaces so that 350,000 employees benefit from workplace oral-health policies by 2030.  

• Continue supporting schools, local authorities, charities and the Armed Forces to help more people access advice and care.  

Policy  

Improving oral health also requires change at national and local level. By 2030 we will:  

• Increase the number of commissioning bodies with oral health in their health and care strategies.  

• Secure recognition of oral health within NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 framework.  

• Improve commissioning standards for diabetes so newly diagnosed patients are referred for oral-health assessment.  

• Increase public understanding of the link between oral and general health.  

• Strengthen early diagnosis and prevention through better public information and professional referral pathways.  

Our policy work will be supported by strong communications across media, digital and partnerships.  

What success looks like  

By 2030 we want to see fewer people living with preventable oral disease, more people accessing support and care, and oral health recognised as a key part of overall health.  

People, partners and policy – working together – will help us get there.  

Download: Strategy to 2030: People, Partners, Policy