Prof Habib Benzian (UWC), Dr Feroza Amien (UCT), Dr Mzimkhulu Mcuba, Acting Director of Oral Health at the National Department of Health, Dr Nashna Rampersad (UWC and PHASA DPH SIG Secretary), Prof Jeff Yengopal, Dean of UWC’s Faculty of Dentistry, and Prof Pagollang Motloba from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, at the 2026 World Congress on Public Health in Cape Town.

Oral health should no longer be treated as separate from general health, but integrated into responses to chronic diseases, primary healthcare and universal health coverage.

This was one of the key messages to emerge from the 2026 World Congress on Public Health (WCPH), held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) this month, where oral health featured prominently across discussions on health equity and advocacy, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), universal health coverage, decolonisation and health-system reform.

The University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Department of Community Dentistry was among the South African oral-health academics and practitioners contributing to the discussions, with about 10 researchers. These included renowned dental health experts such as Prof Sudeshni Naidoo, Prof Raman Bedi, Prof Habib Benzian, and the Dean of the Dentistry Faculty, Prof Veerasamy “Jeff`” Yengopal.

Held under the theme, “Health Without Borders: Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability”, the congress highlighted the links between oral health and broader public health challenges, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, maternal and child health, antimicrobial resistance and mental health.

Prof Sue Naidoo (UWC) is flanked by Prof Habib Benzian (UWC), Dr Bulela Vava from Public Oral Health Forum, and Dr Russel Rensburg from Rural Health Advocacy Project.

UWC’s Faculty of Dentistry played a leading role in advancing oral health discussions at the congress. Prof Khabiso Ramphoma, Chairperson of the PHASA (Public Health Association of SA) Dental Public Health Special Interest Group (DPH SIG), together with Deputy Chairperson Tamsyn Martin, and Secretary Dr Nashna Rampersad, helped shape and deliver several sessions and encouraged greater participation by UWC colleagues.

Their involvement helped strengthen the place of oral health within the broader public-health agenda, particularly its links with non-communicable diseases, health systems and health equity. The congress also signalled a shift away from viewing oral health as a standalone dental issue towards recognising it as an integral part of public-health policy and practice.

“This was significant. Rather than being confined to specialist dental tracks, oral health was integrated into broader public-health debates and concerns,” said Prof Ramphoma.

One of the sessions, “Oral Health in South Africa: Constitutional Commitments, Systemic Neglect, and the Limits of Progress”, examined the gap between South Africa’s commitment to progressively realise the right to health and the realities of public oral-health services.

Dr Nashna Rampersad (UWC and PHASA DPH SIG Secretary), Dr Bulela Vava (Public Oral Health Forum), Prof Khabiso Ramphoma (UWC and PHASA Dental Public Health Special Interest Group Chairperson, and Prof Faheema Kimmie-Dhansay (UWC).

Participants heard that services remained heavily focused on emergency treatment and tooth extraction, with limited emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation.

The discussion highlighted that addressing these shortcomings requires more than additional resources. Governance, political prioritisation, and the integration of oral health into wider health reforms are also important.

Another key session was the decolonisation of oral health, which examined how historical injustices and institutional structures continue to shape oral-health inequalities. South Africa provided a relevant context, given its history of unequal access to healthcare and ongoing efforts to transform the health system.

A separate Global South-focused session showcased locally developed solutions to oral-health challenges, highlighting innovation, prevention, collaboration and community engagement in resource-constrained settings. The discussions challenged perceptions of low- and middle-income countries simply as recipients of knowledge and instead positioned them as producers of innovative and scalable public-health solutions.

The relationship between oral health and NCDs was another major focus.

During an interactive workshop, “Oral Health as Non-Communicable Diseases: Why the Mouth Matters in Public Health,” participants discussed the high prevalence and preventability of oral diseases and their impact on quality of life.

The workshop highlighted opportunities to tackle oral diseases alongside other NCDs through shared risk factors, while examining the integration of oral health into maternal and child health services and primary healthcare.

Prof Ramphoma noted that collectively, these discussions signalled a shift away from viewing oral health simply as a dental issue.

“For South Africa, the congress provided an opportunity to connect oral health more closely with debates around health reform, equity and universal health coverage.

The challenge now is to translate the growing recognition of oral health within public health into stronger research, policy and health-system action that ensures the mouth is treated as an integral part of overall health,” she said.

For the UWC Faculty of Dentistry, the congress represented much more than participation in an international conference. It was the culmination of years of advocacy, scholarship, collaboration and leadership by members of the faculty who have worked consistently to move oral health from the margins of health policy and public health discourse towards the centre of the conversation.

“The Cape Town congress, therefore, provided more than visibility for oral health; it offered evidence that oral health is increasingly entering the mainstream public-health conversation. The challenge now is to ensure that this broader framing is sustained beyond individual conference sessions and translated into stronger research agendas, policy engagement and health-system action,” Prof Ramphoma said.