Bridging Evidence and Policy in Preventive Dentistry and Public Oral Health

Despite the availability of robust, evidence-based interventions, a persistent know–do gap remains between research findings and their implementation in policy and practice. This gap limits progress in improving oral health at the population level, particularly in underserved communities and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). At the same time, advances in epidemiology, health policy, and implementation science offer new opportunities to close this gap and ensure that effective preventive strategies are adopted widely, equitably, and sustainably.This Research Topic aims to explore how scientific evidence can be more effectively translated into public policies and clinical practices that promote preventive dentistry and public oral health. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, policies and programs focused on tobacco cessation, sugar reduction, expanding access to dental care, dental insurance coverage, water fluoridation, and school-based oral health initiatives. We particularly welcome work that examines how these interventions can be designed and implemented to reduce inequalities and improve coverage among disadvantaged populations.We seek contributions that:• Identify barriers and facilitators to the development, adoption, and implementation of evidence-based oral health policies, with a special emphasis on LMIC settings.• Apply implementation science to describe and evaluate the real-world translation of oral health evidence into national, regional, or local policies and programs.• Present tailored, context-specific prevention strategies developed for particular communities or population groups.• Evaluate innovative approaches and models for integrating research evidence into routine practice, health systems, and public health programs.• Assess the impact of policy changes and preventive interventions on oral health outcomes and inequalities.• Provide case studies of successful evidence-to-policy and evidence-to-practice translation in diverse geographic, social, and economic contexts.• Examine the role of health communication, advocacy, and community engagement in shaping, implementing, and sustaining oral health policy.Interdisciplinary approaches drawing from public health, dentistry, epidemiology, health economics, behavioral science, and social sciences are strongly encouraged. Submissions that offer practical frameworks, tools, or guidance for policymakers, practitioners, and oral health advocates—especially those working in resource-constrained settings—will be particularly valued.By bringing together evidence on what works, for whom, and under which conditions, this Research Topic aims to support more informed, equitable, and effective decision-making in preventive dentistry and public oral health worldwide. Topic editors: ASWINI Y BALAPPANAVAR, Manu Mathur, Harsh Priya Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76110/bridging-evidence-and-policy-in-preventive-dentistry-and-public-oral-health