National priorities for oral health research, Peru 2022-2026: process, experiences and perspectives

The National Institute of Health has, for the first time, identified National Priorities for Oral Health Research, this process was carried out by the Subdirectorate of Research and Laboratories of Noncommunicable Diseases of the National Center for Public Health with the technical advice of the Directorate of Research and Innovation in Health and in coordination with the Executive Directorate of Oral Health of the General Directorate of Strategic Interventions in Public Health of the Ministry of Health, using a participatory methodology with three key actors: researchers/specialists, experts and decision-makers. This article aims to describe the process used to identify these priorities, which consisted of five phases: i) identification of the strategic objectives of the Ministry of Health, ii) identification of needs in oral health research, iii) review by experts and assessment of needs according to criteria and v) presentation of the priorities. As a result, 12 priorities were obtained, which were subsequently approved by Ministerial Resolution No. 262-2022/MINSA, for a period of 2022-2026. In addition, we provide recommendations for future processes.