Singapore – Colgate-Palmolive has announced a new multi-year global partnership with the WHO Foundation to support the World Health Organization’s work on oral health, an area affecting an estimated 3.7 billion people worldwide.
The four-year funding commitment will support oral health education, promote the integration of oral health into national health systems, and raise awareness of oral health as a public health priority.
The initiative builds on Colgate’s long-standing focus on prevention and education, including its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures programme, which has reached approximately two billion children and their families globally since 1991.
“At Colgate-Palmolive, we are driven by our purpose to reimagine a healthier future for all \–and to make more smiles. We’re launching this collaboration with the WHO Foundation given its unique position to support global health challenges and Colgate’s leadership position in oral health as the brand that’s in more homes than any other,” said Ram Raghavan, president, Enterprise Oral Care, Colgate-Palmolive.
Ram added, “Oral health is a critical–and too often overlooked–part of the global health agenda. We are committed to elevating oral health as a public health priority by scaling prevention and education and supporting evidence-based solutions that help strengthen health systems and improve lives across communities around the world.”
The partnership will support WHO efforts to address systemic barriers to oral health, including disparities linked to income, education, health literacy, and access to care.
“The WHO Foundation supports WHO’s mission by mobilizing private funding in support of public health priorities,” said Anil Soni, chief executive officer of the WHO Foundation.
Anil emphasised, “Oral health plays an essential role in overall health, and progress depends on long-term investment in prevention, trusted guidance, and strong health systems. Support like this helps enable WHO’s work to advance oral health and improve health outcomes for communities around the world.”
The collaboration launches at a time of growing global recognition of oral health, following its inclusion as a public health priority at the Fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases.
By focusing on prevention, policy guidance, and global awareness, the partnership aims to strengthen health systems and improve outcomes worldwide.
