Italy dental professionals advocate for oral health prevention and care access

Dental professionals in Italy are highlighting the critical need for oral health prevention and improved access to care. The Associazione Igienisti Dentali Italiani (AIDI) launched the “Sorriso. Imperfetto. Sano. Bellissimo” campaign to promote hygiene habits across various age groups through community events in cities such as Turin, Lamezia Terme, and Bari.

Simultaneously, dental associations are addressing systemic challenges within the Italian healthcare system. At the XIII Mediterranean Odontostomatological Congress in Catania, experts noted that 40% of Italians only visit a dentist when experiencing pain. Discussions emphasized that current National Health Service (SSN) resources are heavily skewed toward treatment, with only 5% allocated to prevention.

The Associazione Italiana Odontoiatri (AIO) has called for updates to the Essential Levels of Assistance (LEA) to ensure more uniform access to care across different regions. The association is advocating for increased funding, realistic tariffs, and better protections for vulnerable patients to prevent dental care from being determined by income or geographic location.