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A New Year for Oral Health

A new year invites both reflection and momentum. As 2026 begins, oral health continues to be shaped by the ways prevention, access, and well-being intersect across care delivery, policy, and lived experience. This month, we explore those connections, highlighting perspectives and resources that speak to the evolving role of oral health within broader health systems and communities.

JOURNALS, REPORTS & WHITE PAPERS

Oral Health, Anxiety, Depression, and Stress in Pregnancy: A Rapid Review of Associations and Implications for Perinatal Care

New research highlights important links between oral health and maternal psychological well-being during pregnancy, showing how inflammation and oral-systemic interactions may influence outcomes like birth weight and anxiety.

Mental and Oral Health: A Dual Frontier in Healthcare Integration and Prevention

Emerging evidence shows a bi-directional relationship between oral conditions and mental health disorders, with stress, access barriers, and medication effects influencing both.

Advancing Oral Health Workforce Equity in Gender and Sexual Orientation

A recent study published in the Journal of Dental Research examines how oral health outcomes are shaped by broader social and systemic factors, reinforcing the need for integrated, equity-focused approaches to prevention, care delivery, and policy.

Childhood Fluoride Exposure and Cognition Across the Life Course

A study published in Science Advances examines biological and systemic mechanisms influencing oral health, offering new insight into how oral conditions are connected to broader health processes.

AROUND THE WORLD

UN Declaration Seals Global Commitment to Oral Health and NCD Action

The World Health Organization and United Nations have formally recognized oral health as a critical component of noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention, signaling a global commitment to integrating oral health into broader health systems and policy action.

As part of our ongoing work to support informed dialogue and collaboration across oral health and health policy, the Santa Fe Group has launched new initiative resource pages on our website. These pages are designed to serve as living hubs, bringing together articles, research, policy updates, and insights aligned with our core focus areas.

We invite you to explore these evolving resources and return often as new materials are added.