In the fifth episode of Series 2 of Oral Health Matters, host Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London, is joined by two experts in health inequalities to discuss the pro-equity policy agenda.

This conversation explores why researchers have often failed to influence policymakers effectively, despite 30 years of investigation into health inequalities. As the world faces the ongoing impacts of climate change and the aftermath of a global pandemic, this episode examines how to move beyond "lifestyle drift" and address the structural determinants of health. Our guests provide a deep dive into the necessity of a lifecourse approach and discuss how to pivot research so that communities are treated as knowledge holders and experts rather than just participants.

Our Guests: · Yvonne Kelly – Professor of Lifecourse Epidemiology at UCL and Co-Director of the ESRC-funded Equalize program, focusing on health inequalities research. · Bulela Vava – Founder and President of the Public Oral Health Forum and lecturer in community dentistry at Wits University in South Africa. Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Follow the conversation by connecting with the Dental Public Health Group on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Instagram.

This is a Research Podcasts production.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Episode Credits

Presenter: Richard Watt
UCL Guests: Yvonne Kelly and Bulela Vava
Producer: Catherine McDonald
Research Podcasts Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic

In the fourth episode of Series 2 of Oral Health Matters, host Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London, is joined by two global leaders in oral health to reflect on the historic WHO Bangkok Declaration. This conversation explores the shift from oral health as a neglected periphery of medicine to a global priority, catalysed by the first-ever WHO global meeting on oral health in November 2024.

As the geopolitical landscape shifts in 2026, this episode examines whether the momentum gained in Bangkok can be sustained despite significant changes in international funding and leadership. Our guests provide a deep dive into the "Bangkok spirit," discussing the legal and practical roadmaps created to integrate oral care into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the power of global coalitions to ensure there is "no health without oral health".

Our Guests:

• Paula Vassallo - Chief Dentist in Malta and a prominent advocate for oral health across the European Union and international organizations.
• Irving McKenzie - Chief Dentist in Jamaica and a high-profile policy figure across the Caribbean and the Americas.

Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Follow the conversation by connecting with the Dental Public Health Group on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Instagram.

This is a Research Podcasts production.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Episode Credits

Presenter: Richard Watt, UCL

Guests: Paula Vassallo and Irving McKenzie

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic

In the third episode of Series 2 of Oral Health Matters, host Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London, is joined by two leading legal and health researchers to discuss the intersection of international law and dental health. This conversation explores the shift from viewing health as an abstract value to a body of binding national and international standards that frame oral health as a fundamental human right.

As global health agendas increasingly prioritize equity, this episode examines whether a country can truly achieve universal health coverage if oral health remains excluded or relegated to the private sector. Our guests provide a deep dive into the legal obligations of states to "respect, protect, and fulfil" the right to health, the impact of commercial determinants, and how human rights frameworks can serve as a powerful counterbalance to the influence of harmful industries.

Our Guests:

• Dominique Mollet - Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
• Sara Laura Ferrari - Research Fellow in the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at the University of Milan in Italy.

Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Follow the conversation by connecting with the Dental Public Health Group on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Instagram.

This is a Research Podcasts production.

You can read a transcript of the conversation here.

Episode Credits

Presenter: Richard Watt, UCL

Guests: Dominique Mollet, University of Groningen and Sara Laura Ferrari, University of Milan

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic

In the second episode of Series 2 of Oral Health Matters, host Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London, is joined by two global health experts to deconstruct the high-stakes political diplomacy behind the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

As global health priorities are increasingly dictated by geopolitical manoeuvring rather than scientific consensus, how do we ensure oral health isn't left behind? This episode provides an insider’s look at the "battlegrounds" of UN declarations - where even the placement of a comma is negotiated - and explores the fallout of the US and Argentina’s decision to block the initial declaration in September 2025. From the influence of commercial interests and "hidden" WhatsApp diplomacy to the rising leadership of lower- and middle-income countries, our guests discuss whether this new declaration is a definitive win or simply a tool for future accountability.

Our Guests:

• Dr. Taskeen Khan – Director of Research at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) and former global health expert at the WHO.
• Dr. Habib Benzian – Professor at the University of Sydney and the University of the Western Cape, and a leading figure in the Lancet Commission on Oral Health.

Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Follow the conversation by connecting with the Dental Public Health Group on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Instagram.

This is a Research Podcasts production.

In the opening episode of Series 2 of Oral Health Matters, host Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London is joined by two global leaders in dental public health to navigate the complex and often volatile intersection of politics and healthcare.

As geopolitical landscapes shift toward populist agendas, what happens to the world's most vulnerable populations? This episode provides a critical look at how recent political changes in the US and the Global South are directly impacting oral health funding, research, and equity. From the removal of DEI programming in American universities to the withdrawal of major international health funding in South Africa, our guests explore whether this era of "chaos and uncertainty" can be a catalyst for new, innovative models of global collaboration.

Our Guests:
Dr. Bob Weyant - Professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and a seasoned policy advocate.

Dr. Khabiso Ramphoma - Associate Professor at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, and a rising leader in global oral health research.

Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Follow the conversation by connecting with the Dental Public Health Group on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and Instagram.

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Episode Credits

Presenter: Richard Watt, UCL

Guests: Bob Weyant, University of Pittsburgh and Khabiso Ramphoma, University of the Western Cape in South Africa

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Anton Jarvis, Research Podcasts

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic

Oral Health Matters is a podcast from the Dental Public Health Group at UCL and presented by eminent dental public health expert Professor Richard Watt.

We’ll be in conversation with researchers, policymakers and activists from around the world who are working to better understand the causes and consequences of oral diseases and to identify possible policy solutions to improve oral health.

So if you're a policy maker, clinician researcher, or member of a community who wants to know more about why oral health matters and what interventions and policies might make a difference, please follow us wherever you find your podcasts.

Oral Health Matters is produced by the Dental Public Health Group at UCL, with support from Research Podcasts and funding from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research.

In episode 6 of Oral Health Matters, Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London is in conversation withDr Benoit Varenne from the World Health Organisation and Dr Dympna Kavanagh, Chief Dental Officer in the Department of Health, Ireland. Together they discuss current and forthcoming developments in global and national oral health policy and how the research community can best support oral health as a public health priority around the world.

• Read a full transcript

Credits

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic

In episode 5 of Oral Health Matters, Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London is in conversation with Professor Sharon Friel from the Australian National University. and Professor Delan Devakumar, from University College London. Together they discuss developments in the broader global health research agenda and highlight the burning issues specifically linked to equity and commercial determinants.

• Read a full transcript

Credits

Presenter: Professor Richard Watt, University College London

Editor and producer: Chris Garrington, Research Podcasts

Artwork and audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts

Music: The Documentary, Mapamusic