Parliament Question: National Strategy for oral health and dental disease prevention

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3645 TOBE ANSWERED ON24TH MARCH, 2026 NATIONALSTRATEGYFORORALHEALTH AND DENTALDISEASE PREVENTION 3645 DR. AJEETMADHAVRAOGOPCHADE Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtoState: (a) Whether Government is aware that dental caries, periodontal diseases, Oral cancer, and edentulism constitute a major and growing public health burden, especially in rural and underserved regions; (b) Whether Government proposes to improve access to affordable dental care by addressing shortagesof dentalprofessionals andhightreatmentcosts; (c)Whether nationwide epidemiological surveys, behavioural and dietary interventions, and targetedoral cancerpreventionandearly-detectionprogrammesarebeingstrengthened;and (d) Whetherresearch and validation of indigenous medicinal plants for oral healthpromotion are beingencouragedtosupportpreventive andcost-effectivecare? ANSWER THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a)to (d) The National Oral Health Programme(NOHP) andNational Programme for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) as part of the National Health Mission beingimplemented bythe Ministry of Health& Family Welfare,aimstostrengthen public health infrastructure, ensure accessible, affordable and quality oral healthcare services across the country. As per 2007 oral health survey, oral diseases include dental caries, periodontal diseases, fluorosis and edentulism. The programmes supports manpower, equipment, consumables, capacity building and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities across public health facilities, including district hospitals, sub-district hospitals and community healthcentres. Awareness activitiesare also organisedwith school andcollegestudents.The programme provides for infrastructure, drugs, diagnostics and trained human resources such as dental surgeons, hygienists, assistants and technicians based on state requirements. Further the programme also deliver comprehensive oral healthcare services, including preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as scaling, fillings, root canal treatment, extractions andmanagementof maxillofacial trauma andoral pre-cancer conditions. The programmesare furtherstrengthened throughnationalresourcecentresthatfocusontraining, research, awareness early screening and detection strategies, thereby enhancing workforce capacity and reducing the overall burden of oral diseases in India. One of the mandates of resource centres is also integrating with Ayush for medical management of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders. Further, the National Medicinal Plants Board under Ministry of Ayush, through its Central Sector Scheme on 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants', supports research activitiesonvarious aspectsof medicinal plantsincluding research and validation of medical plants used in traditional system through government as well asprivate universities, research institutions andorganizationsacross the countryinprojectmode. *****