TEHRAN – The health ministry provided different dental services during the week-long national oral and dental health campaign, held from October 17 to 23 nationwide.

The campaign centered on training, self-care, prevention, and raising awareness about the importance of oral health. The health ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, conducted oral health education at schools to improve the knowledge of children and families about oral health.

Dental screening at schools focused on proper tooth brushing, applying fluoride varnish, promoting oral health habits, and referring those who need further treatment to medical centers.

With the help of student health ambassadors and healthcare providers at school, they would teach students about proper nutrition and how to brush and floss their teeth correctly.

“Apart from schools, dental services are being offered in rural and urban areas with a population of less than 20,000 individuals; pregnant mothers, mothers with children under two years old, and children aged under 14 are receiving free oral health packages and dental treatment,” IRNA quoted Zahra Qorbani, an official with the health ministry, as saying.

"In other cities, dental services were also offered with health insurance covering 70 percent of the total costs. The dental services included tooth extraction, filling, scaling, and preventive care."

The official said that the health ministry programs are not limited to oral and dental health week; the health ministry is endeavouring to enhance both access to and the quality of services through upgrading equipment, supplying needed materials, and dispatching dentists to areas where there are not enough specialists.

Referring to the high costs of dental treatment, Qorbani highlighted that the main responsibility of the health ministry is to prevent diseases and reduce the need for costly medical care. To preserve natural teeth, promote oral health, and reduce the burden of costs, dental services need to target individuals at early ages of life while simultaneously increasing access to necessary treatments.

The week-long event was held under the theme ‘Don’t forget two times two, brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day’, the health ministry’s website reported.

The health ministry also benefited from the capacity of dental offices, mass media, and social media to hold educational and preventive programs related to oral health for the promotion of self-care and enhancement of oral health literacy among the public.

In the past Iranian year, the program was held in some 34,000 schools, providing services to more than three million students across the country, Qorbani said in January.

World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is celebrated every year on March 20 to empower people with the tools and knowledge to prevent and control oral diseases, which affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide.

It encourages people to look after their oral health by adopting a good oral hygiene routine and managing risk factors.

Themed ‘A Happy Mouth Is… A Happy Life’, WOHD 2026 spotlighted oral health as the foundation of lifelong well-being — from a baby’s first teeth to maintaining a healthy smile in older age.

MT/MG