Future trends in oral health and disease

The World Health Report, published annually by the World Health Organization, provides a rich source of information from which trends may be distinguished and planning can be initiated. In terms of oral health, trends in caries prevalence are of particular importance, as are developments in health promotion in general, which touch on life style factors and thus oral health decisions. This paper highlights aspects of the Report in relation to oral health and discusses some of WHO's responses to the global problems associated with improving oral health.