At the FDI World Dental Congress 2025 (WDC25), FDI proudly launched a new advocacy guide designed to drive effective action in improving oral health for ageing populations worldwide. This milestone builds on more than ten years of the Oral Health for an Ageing Population (OHAP) Project, reflecting a decade of research, collaboration, and global advocacy.

The Advocacy Guide offers a comprehensive strategy for policymakers, health professionals, and advocates. It draws on peer-reviewed studies, evidence-based guidance on care delivery, and practical tools and resources developed through the OHAP Project. Aligned with FDI’s Vision 2030, the WHO Oral Health Resolution, Strategy and Action Plan, and broader global health frameworks, the guide supports the call for universal health coverage (UHC) for oral health.

10 Years of OHAP: from Tokyo to today

The journey of OHAP began in March 2015, when the Tokyo Declaration was adopted at the Japan Dental Association's World Congress. The declaration underscored that oral health is a fundamental human right and must be fully integrated into public health policies to support healthy longevity.

Following this, FDI launched the OHAP project to specifically address the oral health needs of the world’s ageing population; an issue that has only grown in urgency as societies face the realities of demographic change. For more than a decade, OHAP has provided essential resources to national dental associations, policymakers, dentists and dental teams, patients, carers and families. By advancing understanding of ageing and oral health, it has supported clinical practice and made the case for placing oral health at the centre of healthy ageing strategies.

A shared commitment to global oral health

The success of OHAP and the launch of the advocacy guide would not have been possible without the support of partners GC International and the Nakao Foundation, whose long-standing commitment has made this project a reality.

In the words of Dr Makoto Nakao, Chairman of the board of GC Holding AG; “today, as ageing becomes a pressing global challenge, oral health stands at the very centre of quality of life. Through the OHAP project, we strive to create a world where everyone can eat, smile, and speak with their own mouth. Together with FDI, we will continue to listen, to apply the latest research, and to advance dental care worldwide.”

Looking ahead

The new advocacy guide will be key to mobilizing stakeholders and embedding oral health in national and international health agendas. Through continued collaboration and advocacy, FDI and its partners are committed to a future where healthy ageing includes healthy smiles for all — ensuring no one is left behind.

The OHAP project is supported by GC International and Nakao Foundation.