Summary
The WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEA) organized this Consultation in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the objective to promote public oral health approaches in the SEA Region. The consultation reviewed the national oral health situation, programmes and plans in Member States of the Region, and reviewed the draft of the Regional Oral Health Strategy that was developed in 2007 in close collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre on Promoting Community-based Oral Health, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Participants from 10 Member States - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste attended the meeting. In addition, oral health experts and WHO staff from its headquarters, the Regional Office, and country offices also attended. The participants recommended that oral health programmes be strengthened in Member States to facilitate finalization of the Regional Oral Health Strategy.