CV
Solomé Asseres is a global health professional with over 14 years of experience, including international development experience in public health research and programming in health, nutrition, and education. Solomé has provided technical assistance to SHN programs in Liberia, Zambia, Viet Nam, China, Thailand, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Lebanon, and Indonesia. She co-leads on vision and road safety for her team, and currently supports programs focusing on SHN policy reform and advocacy, oral health, WASH in schools, nutrition and road safety to ensure quality programming. Solomé holds a BS in Neurobiology and Physiology from the University of Maryland College Park, and a MPH in Program Design and Implementation from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Preventive oral health interventions in vulnerable populations: economic benefits and the role of public-private partnerships
The global impact of dental caries remains profound in terms of adverse health effects on individuals and populations, as well its societal and economic costs. The GBD 2017 study estimated 2.3 billion cases of untreated caries in permanent teeth globally, with 532 million suffering from untreated caries in deciduous teeth. Oral health prevention and promotion efforts, effectively delivered through collaborative public-private partnerships, can significantly improve health outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations.
This symposium will present two examples of preventative oral health strategies that showcase health and economic benefits:
- Save the Children Partnership: The School Health and Nutrition (SHN) program in the Philippines, led by Save the Children and Mars Wrigley Foundation, is an impactful case study of how public-private collaborations improve oral health outcomes in vulnerable populations. By integrating oral health education into SHN programs, the program successfully reduced dental caries and enhanced children's overall health. Data from the program will be presented to showcase these proven results.
- Wrigley Oral Health Program: The Wrigley Oral Health Program explores the health and economic benefits of sugar-free chewing gum as a preventive measure. By stimulating saliva to reduce dental caries, sugar-free gum offers a cost-effective oral health solution. The symposium will discuss the ongoing efforts to validate and expand this innovative strategy.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the importance of prevention in achieving oral health outcomes.
- Articulate the role of public-private partnerships in delivering better oral health.
- Explore the benefits of an accessible oral care option, sugar-free gum, on improving oral health
- Understand the health economic benefits of preventive oral health measures.