Fédération Dentaire Internationale World
Dental Congress 2026

Professor Abhishek Mehta presented a scientific paper at the FDI World Dental Congress 2026, took place in Prague, Czech Republic, from September 4 to 7, 2026. The paper was titled “Household Economic Burden of Oral Diseases in India.” This study examined the financial implications of oral healthcare in India, focusing on out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE), healthcare utilisation and catastrophic health spending (CHS) using nationally representative data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) and NSSO Social Consumption: Health surveys. It assessed patterns of oral healthcare utilisation and the associated financial burden across different demographic and socioeconomic groups.

 

The presentation focused on substantial inequalities in access to and financing of oral healthcare in India. The findings showed that although oral conditions were common, utilisation of oral healthcare was considerably lower among older adults, while inpatient dental care was associated with particularly high out-of-pocket costs. The financial burden was greatest among poorer households, highlighting gaps in financial protection. The presentation emphasised the need to integrate essential oral healthcare within broader universal health coverage efforts, strengthen public dental services, improve affordability and accessibility, and monitor out-of-pocket expenditure and catastrophic dental spending.