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Oral health is increasingly being recognised as an essential part of overall health and wellbeing. At this year's FDI World Dental Congress in Prague, experts from across the oral health community came together to discuss the latest science, emerging evidence and opportunities to improve oral health outcomes around the world.
As a Platinum Partner of FDI World Dental Congress 2026, Haleon was proud to be part of those conversations. We spoke with Adam Sisson, Global Head of Research & Development for Oral Health at Haleon, about the trends shaping the future of oral healthcare, the role of science and innovation in addressing unmet needs, and why prevention and collaboration will be critical to driving progress.
Adam Sisson: What struck me most was how the conversation around oral health continues to evolve. There was a real focus on the critical role oral health plays in overall health and wellbeing, and a shared commitment across the community to improve outcomes for consumers.
What excites me is that science is opening up entirely new opportunities. We're seeing advances in the broader understanding of the oral-systemic connection, growing recognition of the importance of prevention, and an increasing willingness across healthcare professionals, academia, policymakers and industry to work together differently. For someone working in R&D, that's incredibly inspiring.
Adam Sisson: The scale of the challenge is huge. Oral diseases affect nearly half the world's population, making them among the most common health conditions globally.
At the same time, our understanding of oral health continues to evolve. The mouth is an important gateway to the rest of the body, and growing evidence linking oral health with broader health conditions is helping reshape how we think about prevention and long-term health outcomes.
Take diabetes as an example. Consumers living with diabetes are up to three times more likely to experience gum problems, and Economist Impact’s Health Inclusivity Index supported by Haleon suggests that improving gum health could help avoid up to 57 million cases of type 2 diabetes globally.
Numbers like that speak for themselves. As the evidence base around the oral-systemic connection continues to grow and mature, we're gaining a much deeper understanding of the role oral health can play in overall health outcomes. That's helping drive a fundamental shift in how oral health is viewed, from a standalone dental issue to an increasingly important part of broader health and prevention strategies.
Adam Sisson: Science and innovation are fundamental to everything we do at Haleon; it’s part of our DNA. As a company focused on everyday health, our goal is to translate trusted science into meaningfully superior benefits that make a real difference in consumers’ lives. That's what motivates us every day.
Through brands like Sensodyne, parodontax, Polident and Aquafresh, we're helping consumers better manage oral health conditions and challenges that are having a real impact on their lives, affecting everything from eating and speaking to smiling with confidence. What unites our portfolio of brands is a commitment to trusted science, rigorous standards and clinically proven solutions that help address real oral health conditions, delight consumers through the product experience and can be recommended with confidence by healthcare professionals.
But we're also focused on the future. Our scientists are driven by a deep curiosity about consumers, their experiences, their needs and the challenges they face. That's why we're investing £130 million in our new Global Oral Health Innovation Centre in the UK, bringing together scientists, cross-functional experts, health professionals and consumer experts to deepen our understanding of oral health and accelerate the next generation of innovations.
Adam Sisson: For me personally, one of the most exciting parts of working in R&D is seeing science translate into meaningful differences in consumers’ everyday lives. When you hear stories from consumers whose confidence has been restored, or whose quality of life has improved because of an innovation you've helped bring to life, it's incredibly rewarding and a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.
If you look at Sensodyne Clinical White, for example, it started with a simple consumer insight: many people with sensitive teeth wanted whiter teeth but felt they had to choose between whitening and sensitivity protection. Our scientists challenged that trade-off, combining decades of expertise in tooth sensitivity with advanced formulation science to deliver both. To me, that's a great example of understanding an unmet need and applying cutting-edge science to help people live with fewer compromises when it comes to their health and wellbeing.
Adam Sisson: One of the biggest opportunities lies in closing the gap between consumers experiencing an oral health condition and doing something about it. Take tooth sensitivity. More than half of adults experience it, yet up to 41% don't treat it. That highlights a real opportunity to help consumers recognise the condition and understand that effective solutions are available.
That's where trusted brands like Sensodyne can play an important role. Through our Chill Test, we're helping consumers recognise that the familiar "zing" of pain when eating or drinking something cold may be a sign of tooth sensitivity, encouraging them to take action and seek relief. We've brought that to life in markets around the world, including India, where we're deploying health ambassadors into rural communities on motorbikes, helping more consumers recognise the signs of tooth sensitivity and understand that effective solutions are available.
What's equally exciting is the opportunity to bring new science and technologies to consumers in ways that make a real difference to their everyday lives. Sensodyne's Clinical Repair range is formulated with NovaMin technology, an ingredient originally developed to support bone regeneration. It activates as soon as you start brushing, forming a restorative mineral layer over sensitive areas using the same minerals found naturally in teeth, and starts to repair sensitivity in just two minutes.
For me, that's a great example of how we take cutting-edge science and turn it into noticeable benefits that consumers can experience every day.
Adam Sisson: If we're serious about improving oral health outcomes globally, collaboration has to be part of the answer. As a Platinum Partner of FDI World Dental Congress 2026, we're proud to support a forum that brings together researchers, clinicians, policymakers and industry leaders from around the world who are united in one goal: better oral health for all.
The real value lies in how we collectively turn science, evidence and discussion into action. Whether that's advancing the latest research, strengthening prevention programmes or improving everyday care in the dental chair, collaboration helps us accelerate progress and improve outcomes for more consumers. That's what makes events like the FDI Congress so valuable, bringing together the expertise and perspectives needed to help drive meaningful change.
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