Integrating Mental Health and Well-Being Into Oral Healthcare

The intersection of mental and oral health represents an evolving field that acknowledges bidirectional connections between mental health and oral health outcomes, with particular relevance to preventive oral healthcare across the life course and across care settings. Recent studies have illuminated how conditions such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use can influence oral hygiene habits, dietary choices, dental anxiety, and engagement with preventive appointments. Conversely, oral health issues—including pain, caries, and periodontal disease—can exacerbate psychological distress, disrupt social and daily functioning, and diminish overall quality of life. Although scientific evidence substantiates these interrelationships, preventive oral healthcare has often relegated mental health to a peripheral role, with limited integrated strategies to address these complexities as part of routine prevention-oriented care.Emerging research underscores the importance of reframing mental health not merely as contextual background, but as a key determinant in risk assessment, behavior change, and the design of patient-centered preventive dental care. Efforts to close this gap have included exploration of collaborative care models, integration of screening tools in dental practice, and policy dialogue around equitable service delivery. However, persistent challenges remain regarding implementation in diverse settings, ethical management of sensitive mental health information, feasibility for underserved populations, and development of interventions that are effective, equitable, and scalable. The field still lacks robust evidence on pragmatic approaches that can be deployed by dental teams in real-world contexts and tailored to individual and community needs.In response to these gaps, this Research Topic aims to catalyze multidisciplinary inquiry and action toward embedding mental health within the foundations of preventive oral healthcare. The objective is to move beyond acknowledgment of coexistence and comorbidity by advancing innovative approaches and tested interventions that strengthen prevention-oriented care delivery for all population groups. We seek research that deepens understanding of mechanisms connecting oral and mental health, develops effective communication and intervention strategies, addresses the needs of priority and historically underserved populations, and informs workforce training, ethical considerations, and policy frameworks. Through evidence-based insights and practical models, this initiative strives to make preventive oral healthcare more accessible, humane, and effective, supporting oral health and mental health as inseparable facets of holistic health.To gather further insights into integrating mental health into preventive oral healthcare across settings, populations, and systems, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Mechanisms and life-course pathways linking mental health and oral diseases• Prevention behaviors, access barriers, and patient experiences in diverse groups• Integrated clinical prevention strategies and care pathways for comorbid conditions• Development and evaluation of behavioral, psychosocial, and community interventions• Workforce training, interprofessional collaboration, ethics, and legal implications• Health equity, systems integration, policy innovations, and cost-effectiveness in integrated prevention Topic editors: Hee-Jung Park, Nam-Hee Kim, Jan-Are K. Johnsen Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76886/integrating-mental-health-and-well-being-into-oral-healthcare