Oral health in global school health curriculum - scoping review

Dental caries remains the most prevalent chronic disease of childhood, with substantial consequences for children's health, development, and educational outcomes. Schools provide a strategic platform for oral health promotion, particularly through structured curricula aligned with the World Health Organization's Health Promoting Schools framework. However, clarity regarding the nature, scope, and implementation of oral health curricula within school settings remains limited. This scoping review aimed to map global evidence on school-based oral health curricula, examining their characteristics, delivery methods, stakeholder involvement, and assessment approaches.

This review followed JBI Methodology for scoping reviews and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Databases searched were Medline (Ovid), Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, CINAHL (Ovid), Dental & Oral Sciences source (Ovid), Web of Science, grey literature (like ProQuest, Google Scholar), ERIC, Epistemonikos, and government and professional dental associations' websites. Covidence software facilitated identification and screening of documents containing information about oral health in school curriculum.

From 5,035 records identified, 42 documents met the inclusion criteria. The included evidence was heterogeneous comprising peer-reviewed studies, curriculum documents, websites, dissertations, conference proceedings, and media reports, with most published after 2000. The United States (n = 15) contributed the largest share of evidence, followed by India (n = 7) and United Kingdom (n = 6). Oral health curricula predominantly targeted primary school children focusing mainly on preventive topics such as oral hygiene practices, diet, and regular dental check-ups. Integrated curricula (n = 11)were reported more than stand-alone models (n = 1). Teachers were primary curriculum facilitators(n = 13). Only a minority of documents reported formal assessment methods, most commonly measuring changes in oral health knowledge and attitudes.

Despite the high global burden of childhood oral diseases, evidence on structured school-based oral health curricula remains sparse and heterogeneous. Variability in terminology, curriculum design, delivery, and assessment highlights the need for standardized frameworks and clearer conceptualization of oral health curricula within school health programs. Strengthening and systematically integrating oral health into school curricula has the potential to support sustainable improvements in children's oral health and overall well-being.