From culture to crowns: The necessary integration of anthropology in Australian oral health practice

Anthropology plays an integral role in human health, and while it has found a place in medicine, it has yet to secure a place by the chair in oral health and dentistry. Drawing on personal experience and existing and emerging scholarship, we highlight the limitations of current biomedical approaches to oral health, which often overlook the complex and diverse cultural history and social climate in Australia. We argue that integrating anthropology into oral health will improve oral health provision by providing a lens that supports holistic, relevant, patient‐centred care. The inclusion of anthropological approaches, such as ethnography and reflexivity, provides critical tools for examining the impact of factors such as Indigeneity, neoliberalism, cultural beliefs, sexuality, and socioeconomic status on oral health behaviours. Practical applications of anthropology in oral health are explored, including suggestions surrounding co‐design, policy reform, implementation, and education. Simultaneously, the role of anthropology in addressing systemic and structural barriers to oral health care in Australia is discussed. We conclude by discussing a reimagined Australian oral health care in which a paradigm shift can move beyond a reductionist framework and prioritise individuality, culture, and trust‐building, enabling a holistic future for oral health and dentistry.