The medical journal The Lancet plays an essential role in the health field, both for its capacity for innovation as well as its ability to go beyond publishing high-quality scientific articles. The journal has been taking the initiative of bringing together experts from priority areas in global health, creating commissions with the aim of synthesizing the current state of the field and establishing priorities and future directions for research and health policy.

By this logic, the Lancet Commission for Global Oral Health was created in the wake of a series of articles published in July 2019. The commission includes experts in oral health, health policy, and health equity. There are 27 delegates based in the four corners of the world, covering countries of all income levels. Professor Richard Watt (University College London) and Professor Carol Guarnizo-Herreno (Universidade Nacional de Colombia) coordinate the commission. From The Lancet, executive editor Dr. Jocalyn Clark is the commission’s focal point.

The commission also includes three Brazilians, Professor Aluísio Barros (Universidade Federal de Pelotas), Professor Marco Peres (Griffith University, Australia), and Dr. Roger Celeste (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul).

The first meeting, occurring under the specter of the Covid-19 pandemic, was attended by 17 delegates and dealt with the definition of priorities and working groups. Upon completion of the project, after approximately two years, the commission will produce a comprehensive report on the state of affairs and priorities for oral health on a global level. The issues of equity, determinants linked to industry (mainly sugar, tobacco, and alcohol), and the training of professionals have already been prioritized.