Sidhivinayak taimes Shimla। Chandigarh, 2 January 2026: A two-day National Conclave of State Nodal Officers on Strengthening System-Driven Approaches to Oral Health Promotion for Schoolchildren and Older Adults concluded successfully in Chandigarh with the adoption of the Chandigarh Resolution. Organized under the National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) by the National Resource Centre for Oral Healthcare of Children and the Elderly (NRC FORCE) at PGIMER’s Oral Health Sciences Centre (OHSC), the conclave brought together officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, state nodal officers, experts from WHO–India, and representatives from professional bodies including IDA, IAPHD, and ISPPD. The Resolution emphasizes integrating oral health into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and calls for preventive, promotive, and early-intervention approaches, particularly for schoolchildren and older adults who face a high burden of preventable oral diseases.
Key priorities outlined include inter-programme convergence, standardized protocols, capacity building, sustainable financing, and people-centered service delivery. Speaking at the event, Dr Arpit Gupta highlighted the importance of system-driven approaches for equitable oral health outcomes, while Dr L. Swasticharan and Dr S. Senthilnathan stressed embedding oral health within national health systems to ensure sustainability and continuum of care. Prof. S. P. Singh reiterated PGIMER’s commitment to evidence-based policy support and national-level advocacy, noting NRC FORCE’s leadership in advancing technical support for oral healthcare.
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