FUTURE OFDENTISTRY
or new diagnostic and treatments interventions, all
countries, including the United States, stand to benefit
in terms of health and quality of life.
GLOBALIZATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
As globalization advances rapidly in this new cen-
tury, crosscutting issues emerge that demand a col-
laborative approach to solving health problems. At
the top of priority concerns is the global burden of
infectious diseases and their effect on economic
development within and across countries. A prime
example is HIV/AIDS, but other infectious diseases
having oral manifestations and other systemic dis-
eases or conditions associated with oral pathogens
are also of concern. In addition, other genetically
and environmentally triggered oral diseases and dis-
orders––such as craniofacial birth defects, dental
caries, and head/neck cancers––are candidates for a
collaborative approach.
A number of international partnerships and col-
laborations are in place, both formal and informal.
In addition, international organizations offer oppor-
tunities for partnerships.
World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO is an arm of the United Nations and is an
intergovernmental coordinating authority for inter-
national health, and its mission is the attainment by
all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
Since the inception of WHO in 1948, the ADA has
collaborated with the Oral Health Program at
WHO headquarters in Geneva, providing technical
and scientific expertise, and financial support. In
addition, the ADA has consistently advocated for an
oral health presence at WHO's Regional Office for
the Americas, the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO), in Washington, D.C. As
organizational members of the United Nations that
also work with their private sector partners, WHO
and PAHO often influence national decisions with
regard to oral health priorities and programs. While
WHO benefits from ADA's expertise and experi-
ence, ADA's own international volunteer programs
are greatly enhanced by WHO linkages to other
training and assistance programs and to the
WHO's global databases. WHO technical expert
panels convened to examine such issues as amalgam
safety, fluoride applications and uses, and health
systems analyses, also enhance ADA's scientific pro-
grams. Currently, WHO is considering a cut in per-
manent positions devoted to oral health. If this
happens, applying lessons learned from global
experiences in reducing oral health disparities with-
in countries will be made considerably more diffi-
cult. Gains accrued from worldwide efforts over the
last 50 years may be lost if the United States does
not advocate for and ensure continued strong oral
health leadership on the permanent WHO head-
quarters staff.FDI World Dental Federation (FDI)The FDI is recognized as the association that ties
together most (145) national dental associations and
focuses on dental professional issues and policies. It
was established in Paris in 1900 and currently repre-
sents a constituency of more then 700,000 dentists
from nearly every country in the world. The organi-
zation's objectives are "to represent the profession of
dentistry on a voluntary, non-governmental, interna-
tional basis; to arrange an Annual World Dental
Congress and to establish and encourage internation-
al programs which will advance the science and art of
dentistry and the status of the profession of dentistry
in the interest of improved oral and general health for
all peoples." (FDI Constitution) The ADA is a mem-
ber of the federation and, therefore, the ADA has an
opportunity to participate in the development of part-
nerships in oral health services, planning, delivery, and
assessment, as well as dental and craniofacial research,
professional and public education, and executive lead-
ership through collaborations with the FDI.International Association for Dental Research
(IADR)IADR is another essential partner in the oral health
sciences, representing over 11,000 basic, transla-
tional, patient-oriented, and community-based sci-
entists in more than 80 countries. The work of these
scientists can, does, and will increasingly affect the
activities of educators, practitioners, and adminis-
trators. ADA's own scientists and consultants rec-
ognize the need to support the IADR as that organ-
ization launches new sections, divisions, and region-
al networks across the globe. Although the IADR
was created in the United States, its non-United
States membership growth currently outpaces its
United States division. The ADA will benefit as the
IADR nourishes science in other industrializedGlobal Oral Health