Abstract

Health inequalities are a global problem of social injustice. Oral health inequalities, both absolute and relative, are stark and widespread across settings and populations, across age groups and stages of the life course, for clinical and subjective outcomes. It is now high time to shift the research focus from simply documenting oral health inequalities, towards explaining and understanding the complex mechanisms underlying their production and reproduction, which will also guide interventions to address them. This presentation will reflect on aspects of the influential theoretical frameworks and highlight the need for interdisciplinary mixed methods theory-driven research that focuses on the broader social, structural and political determinants agenda, and employs a range of appropriate methodological approaches. Recent developments and the global emphasis on oral health through the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023–2030 present a once in a generation opportunity to prioritise and implement policies to address inequalities and improve oral health for all. Guiding and evaluating evidence-informed complex public health interventions is essential, while civil society engagement and advocacy can facilitate their real-life implementation.