The Chandigarh Resolution: Systems Convergence and the Imperative for Implementation Research

Oral diseases remain among the most widespread yet neglected public health challenges, affecting nearly 3.74 billion people globally.1 India bears a substantial share, with dental caries affecting one-third of adults and over 40% of children, alongside a high burden among older adults, nearly 80% with unmet treatment needs. Such patterns point not only to disease prevalence but also to gaps in access, prevention, and system-level integration.2-5 The adoption of the Chandigarh Resolution on 23 December 2025 marks a timely and necessary shift emerging from the National Conclave of State Nodal Officers convened at PGIMER, Chandigarh, under the National Oral Health Programme (NOHP). The Resolution signals a move away from fragmented, episodic care towards a coordinated, system-driven, and life-course approach to oral health. By bringing together policymakers, programme leaders, global partners, and professional bodies, the Conclave has laid the foundation for a more unified and accountable oral health agenda in India. At its core, the Resolution reframes oral health as an essential component of overall health and quality of life, rather than a peripheral concern. Its emphasis on children and older adults is both strategic and necessary, recognising the disproportionate and preventable burden borne by these groups. Equally important is its alignment with global commitments, including the 2021 WHO Resolution on Oral Health, Universal Health Coverage, Sustainable Development Goal 3, and the WHO Life-Course and Healthy Ageing frameworks, positioning India’s efforts within a broader international movement towards equitable health systems.6,7 However, the true significance of the Chandigarh Resolution lies not in its intent but in its potential for implementation. Its call for integration of oral health into school health, primary care, and geriatric platforms, alongside strengthened inter-programmatic convergence, reflects an understanding that sustainable change will depend on embedding oral health within existing health system structures. The prioritisation of prevention, people-centred care, and equity-oriented interventions further underscores a shift towards more responsive and inclusive service delivery models. In this context, oral health research must move from the margins to the mainstream of health system strengthening. The translation of policy into practice demands robust, context-sensitive evidence that can guide implementation at scale. Research in implementation science, health systems, epidemiology, and clinical care is critical to identifying what works, for whom, and under what conditions. Without such evidence, even the most well-intentioned policies risk remaining aspirational. Yet, the challenge is not merely the generation of evidence but its meaningful integration into policy and programme cycles. Historically, dental research in India has remained fragmented and insufficiently aligned with public health priorities. The Chandigarh Resolution offers an opportunity to correct this course by fostering synchronised research agendas co-developed by academic institutions, national programmes, and professional bodies. Embedding research within programme design, monitoring frameworks, and workforce development can transform it into a dynamic tool for continuous system improvement rather than a parallel academic exercise. The Chandigarh Resolution ultimately represents an opportunity to translate intent into measurable outcomes through coordinated action across systems and stakeholders. The guiding theme, “Converging Systems, Strengthening Smiles”, underscores the need for alignment not only across programmes but also between evidence and implementation. The task now is to ensure that this momentum is not lost, that evidence informs action, systems enable delivery, and policy commitments translate into measurable health gains.