FDI World Dental Federation launches global call for integration of oral health into Electronic Health Records

FDI World Dental Federation, today released a landmark Consensus Statement on Integrated Electronic Health Records (EHRs), urging health systems worldwide to embed oral health into broader digital health infrastructures. The statement identifies eight core oral health indicators that should be routinely shared and outlines a strategic framework for uniting dental and medical records to deliver more holistic, person-centred care.  

“Oral health is a crucial component of overall health, yet oral health indicators are often excluded from electronic health records. Integrating these indicators into EHRs can significantly improve diagnoses, treatment coordination, medication management and patient outcomes, while also strengthening interprofessional collaboration,” said FDI President, Dr Greg Chadwick.

Developed by global experts, the eight key indicators include periodontal disease, caries, oral cancer screenings, oral health status, medical devices and implants information, prescription data, allergy information, and radiographic imaging. Given that poor oral health can significantly impact overall health – including chronic conditions like diabetes – integration ensures it is no longer treated in isolation. This approach enables patients to receive more coordinated, timely, and personalized care, with reduced risk of errors, better disease prevention, and improved outcomes.

FDI’s Integrated Electronic Health Records project is supported by Henry Schein and Henry Schein One. David Kochman, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Henry Schein, echoed the importance of cross-sector collaboration stating: “Henry Schein and Henry Schein One are pleased to be leading support of FDI’s important initiative to develop a baseline standard of patient health information sharing.” Dr Ryan Hungate, Chief Clinical and Strategy Officer at Henry Schein One continued “Creating a common language for electronic dental and medical record integration enables clinicians to collaborate more effectively and efficiently in adopting systemic healthcare approaches, ultimately improving global patient care, and we are excited to continue pioneering as we utilize the Consensus Statement’s standards.”

The report also addresses current challenges, including standardization, interoperability, data security, cost barriers, and international coordination, while outlining strategic solutions for implementation. With global health policy shifts already underway, the Consensus Statement explains why the opportune moment is now to establish a baseline standard for the patient data fields to be integrated between digital healthcare systems.

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