Working with communities to improve oral health and reduce oral health inequalities

 

What is the CORE Programme?

CORE (Community Focused Oral Health Research for Equity) is a four-year research programme funded by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to address the neglect of oral diseases in four middle-income countries:

  • Colombia (Dr Carol Guarnizo-Herreño)

  • Brazil (Professor Paulo Sávio Angeiras de Goes)

  • Kenya (Dr Regina Mutave)

  • India (Professor Abhishek Mehta)

The programme is supported by UK and international academic institutions.

Our Aims

Key aims of the programme:

  • Establish equitable and effective research partnerships
  • Assess the pattern, mechanisms and impact of oral health inequalities
  • Determine the influence of commercial determinants on oral health
  • Assess the economic burden of oral diseases and opportunities for oral health system reforms
  • Co-produce and test public health interventions and system reforms to reduce oral health inequalities and promote oral health


oral Health Inequalities

Understanding the patterns and impacts of oral health inequalities to inform the development of interventions to promote oral health equity.

Commercial determinants

Uncovering the strategies used by transnational food and drink, and tobacco corporations to promote products and influence oral health policy.


System Reform & Innovation

Assessing the barriers to dental services, economic burden of oral diseases and opportunities for oral health care financing mechanisms.


Training & Capacity Building

Strengthening the capacity of local research staff and community members by providing an extensive range of training courses

 

Community Engagement & Involvement

The inclusion of local communities in the research and development process to ensure that interventions are aligned with stakeholder needs.


Responsive Research Fund

A fund to support local small scale developmental studies in each country linked to the overarching aims of CORE