Brazilian Commission to Debate Oral Health as a Human Right Amid Access Inequalities
A public hearing will be held in Brazil to discuss oral health as a fundamental human right, focusing on inequalities and challenges in access to dental care.
- • Public hearing on October 16, 2025, on oral health as a human right.
- • Oral health recognized as vital to overall health and dignity, guaranteed by Brazilian Constitution and SUS.
- • Despite progress, significant disparities persist in access to dental services, especially for vulnerable populations.
- • Challenges include funding issues and precarious working conditions for dental professionals.
Key details
On October 16, 2025, Brazil's Human Rights, Minorities, and Racial Equality Commission of the Chamber of Deputies will hold a crucial public hearing on "Oral Health Policy as a Human Right." Proposed by Deputy Erika Kokay of the Workers' Party (PT-DF), the hearing will address the significant role of oral health in overall well-being and human dignity, emphasizing that it is a right enshrined in both the Constitution and the Unified Health System (SUS). Despite progress made through the National Oral Health Policy integrating dental care within SUS, Deputy Kokay highlighted persistent inequalities that disproportionately affect socially vulnerable groups in accessing dental services.
Challenges discussed include funding constraints, discontinuation of oral health programs, and precarious working conditions for dental professionals, which undermine service delivery. Kokay called for broader public debate and collective strategies to reinforce oral health within Brazil's public health framework, aiming to uphold its recognition as a fundamental human right.
This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to address disparities in healthcare access and improve the functioning of oral health services in the country, spotlighting the intersection of health policy, social equity, and human rights in the Brazilian context.