The Need to Improve Leadership to Address Poor Oral Health

Abstract

The FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) has recently published their outline for shaping the future to improve oral health. In the document, several key features were identified including a need for a more collaborative approach across the differing health care sectors and the development of a responsive educational model. While such an approach is to be welcomed, a key element to ensure the realisation of the vision lies with developing leadership within the dental sector. This paper argues that central to this lies in the ability to inspire individuals and organisational excellence, to create and attain a shared vision, and to manage change to attain the organisation’s strategic ends and successful performance. Furthermore, if these goals are to be realised there is a requirement for educational developments at all levels of training that adheres to key principles including establishing a bond between all care workers to ensure that the determinants of poor oral health and its subsequent management are undertaken efficiently and are effective.