A new publication in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization presents the revised WHO oral health module for the STEPwise approach to noncommunicable disease risk factor surveillance (STEPS). The updated module introduces a more contemporary and practical approach to collecting population-level data on oral diseases, helping countries generate the evidence needed to inform policy and strengthen monitoring of oral health program and policy implementation.

The WHO STEPwise framework is a well-established and widely used standardized approach for collecting data on behavioural and biological risk factors of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including oral diseases. Recognizing the gap in reliable and policy-relevant oral health data, WHO revised the oral health module in 2024 to better support national surveillance systems and align with current global monitoring priorities.

"The updated STEPS Oral Health Module gives countries a practical way to integrate oral diseases into broader NCD surveillance. By generating data on oral diseases alongside other NCDs and their shared risk factors, it provides the evidence needed for better decision-making, more effective prevention strategies and stronger health systems,” said Dr Søren Brostrøm, Director, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, WHO.