Dear WFPHA members,
Dear Asia Pacific regional members,
Despite the World Health Organization recognizing oral health's integral role in overall well-being, barriers like educational traditions, distinct cultures, political factors, and financial considerations hinder the integration of dental and medical care. Patient data, crucial for comprehensive care, could be efficiently managed through interoperable systems, especially with the ongoing digital revolution in healthcare.
Unfortunately, most countries lack integrated patient records accessible to all healthcare professionals.
Some organizations, like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Sweden's public healthcare system, showcase successful integration of medical and dental records. However, such examples are not widespread globally. To address this gap, there is a need to explore diverse models of integrated medical-dental health records, considering access permissions and potential challenges in design and implementation.
The WFPHA Oral Health Working Group and FDI World Dental Federation are jointly conducting a worldwide survey to gather insights into this matter and invite participation to enhance understanding and foster progress in achieving unified health records.
Members of the WFPHA are encouraged to participate in this project by completing and distributing the survey provided below: