WHO Collaborating Centre for Translation of Oral Health Science Japanese English
WHOCC Progress Annual Report 2024
The WHO Collaborating Centre for Translation of Oral Health Science
Institution Name
Department of Oral health Science, Division of Preventive Dentistry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
City and Country
Niigata, Japan
Country ID
JPN-75
Overview
The Centre operates under designation by the World Health Organization (WHO). It supports the implementation of the WHO's global strategies through evidence generation and technical assistance in the field of oral health.
In 2024, activities were conducted in alignment with the agreed Terms of Reference (ToR), the WHO Global Oral Health Strategy, and the Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023-2030.
Activity 1: Technical Support for Healthy Ageing Based on the Life-Course Approach
Description:
The WHOCC conducted the following activities:
  1. Participated as an expert member in meetings of the WHO Clinical Consortium on Healthy Ageing (CCHA) and provided scientific input on the integration of oral health into the ICOPE approach.
  2. Advanced the development of questions in PICO format for the scoping review proposed by WHO to inform the development of guidelines on oral health and healthy ageing.
  3. Supported the assessment of oral health contexts within the ICOPE approach trialed in China, in collaboration with the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO).
Outputs:
  1. Developed oral health contextual inputs for the ICOPE pilot implementation in Cambodia in collaboration with WHO WPRO.
  2. Submitted a report on oral functional status among ageing populations in selected Asian countries to WHO WPRO.
  3. Coordinated an academic workshop to raise awareness of oral functional assessment in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Thailand, the Public Health Society of Thailand, and the WHO Collaborating Centre at Mahidol University.
  4. Published scientific papers related to oral health and healthy ageing.
Publication:
  1. Oral Diadochokinesis and Potential Associated Factors in Japanese Older Adult Outpatients, Oral Health Prev Dent (2024)
  2. Ten years' evaluation of periodontal status and its changes among Japanese older adults, Spec Care Dentist (2024)
  3. Low salivary IgA levels against PAc (361-386) as a risk factor for root caries in older adults, Clin Exp Dent Res (2024)
  4. Number of remaining teeth as a predictor of prospective falls in Japanese community-dwelling late older population: a 1-year cohort study, Niigata Dent J (2024)
  5. Association between dry eye and periodontal disease in community-dwelling Japanese adults: data from the Uonuma cohort study, BMC Oral Health (2024)
  6. Salivary alpha-amylase stress reactivity in advanced-aged marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): Impacts of cognitive function and oral health status, Am J Primatol (2024)
  7. Improving oral health of older adults for healthy ageing, J Dent Sci (2024)
  8. Relationship between Renal Function and Self-reported Number of Current Teeth (From the Uonuma Cohort Study Baseline Data), J Dent Hlth (2024).
Activity 2: Support for the Phase Down of Dental Amalgam under the Minamata Convention
Description:
The WHOCC has supported the following activities:
  1. Technically coordinated a project to strengthen oral disease prevention and control services using WHO Essential Dental Preparations, targeting Ministries of Health and relevant stakeholders in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia.
  2. Conducted training seminars on the use of fluoride toothpaste, silver diamine fluoride (SDF), and glass ionomer cement (GIC).
  3. Exchanged information and resources on dental amalgam waste management with the WHO Collaborating Centre at the National Institute for Minamata Disease (JPN-49).
Outputs:
Preparatory
  1. Conducted training to strengthen the capacity for oral disease prevention and control services in the African Region.
  2. Conducted a seminar to share the Japanese experience of reducing and eliminating dental amalgam use, considering changes in the public health insurance system.
Publication:
  1. Recommendations on Topical Fluoride Usage for Caries Management in East Asia, Int Dent J (2024)
Activity 3: Support for the Implementation of Strategic Objective 5 of the Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023-2030
Description:
  1. The WHOCC has supported the following activities: Collected and updated epidemiological information on periodontal disease, including Community Periodontal Index (CPI) data, through the WHO Country/Area Profile Project.
  2. Advanced technical support to strengthen oral health monitoring and surveillance systems in response to requests from WHO Member States.
  3. Collaborated with the Ministries of Health in Indonesia and Myanmar to support the improvement of knowledge and skills among non-dental healthcare professionals in assessing oral health status.
Output:
  1. Established and updated a publicly accessible periodontal disease information platform:
    https://www5.dent.niigata-u.ac.jp/~prevent/perio/contents.html
  2. Contributed to strengthening the monitoring framework for the Global Oral Health Action Plan 2030.
Publication:
  1. RecoOral health status and oral healthcare system in Indonesia: A narrative review, J Int Soc Prev Community Dent (2024)
Other activities:
  1. Participated in the WHO Clinical Consortium on Healthy Ageing (CCHA).
  2. Sent a delegate to the WHO Global Oral Health Meeting and the 14th Asian Chief Dental Officers' Meeting (ACDOM), held concurrently in Thailand.
  3. Participated in regular meetings of the WHO Oral Health Collaborating Centres convened by WHO Headquarters.
WHO Collaborating Centre Networking
  1. Participated in collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre at Mahidol University (THA-62) for the 14th Asian Chief Dental Officers Meeting (ACDOM).
  2. Shared scientific resources on interprofessional collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre at Gunma University (JPN-89).