Uniting for Better Oral Health: Innovation, Prevention, and Global Partnerships
1. Introduction
The 4th International Oral Health Summit (IOHS4) 2026, organized by the Dental Science Hygienist Association of Nepal (DSHAN), was successfully held on 22 August 2026 (Bhadra 6, 2083) at Hotel Yellow Pagoda, Jamal, Kathmandu, Nepal.
The summit brought together dental health professionals, public health professionals, policymakers, legal experts, industry representatives, international delegates, and other stakeholders to discuss contemporary issues in oral health, professional development, policy, regulation, innovation, prevention, and collaboration.
The central theme of the summit was:
“Uniting for Better Oral Health: Innovation, Prevention, and Global Partnerships.”
The theme reflected the growing need for multidisciplinary and international collaboration to strengthen oral healthcare delivery and improve population oral health.
2. Inauguration and Chairpersonship
The program was chaired by Mr. Mikal Devkota, President of the Dental Science Hygienist Association of Nepal (DSHAN).
The Chief Guest of the event was Mr. Sagun Poudel, Chairman of the Nepal Health Professional Council (NHPC).
Other distinguished guests included:
- Ms. Priyanka Shukul, President, Dental Science Society of Bangladesh (DSSB)
- Mr. Umesh Agrawal, Garg Dental Pvt. Ltd.
- Mr. Tej Prasad Dulal, Acting President, Nepal Public Health Association
- Mr. Yubraj Gautam, Senior Vice President, Medical Laboratory Association Nepal
- Mr. Shekhar Subedi, Vice President, Nepal Dental Distributors Association
- Mr. Bijay Maharjan, Representative, Nepal CMA Association
The event was hosted by Mr. Dilip Kumar Gaha and Dr. Amit Shakha, Ph.D.
3. Address by the Chief Guest
Addressing the summit, Mr. Sagun Poudel, Chairman of the Nepal Health Professional Council, emphasized the significant contribution of dental health professionals to overall health.
He stated that collaboration between the Council and professional associations should be strengthened in the coming days. He expressed a commitment to developing the NHPC beyond its traditional role of registration and renewal, positioning it as a guardian institution for the professional rights, interests, welfare, and security of health professionals.
Mr. Poudel highlighted the Council’s new vision and its focus on young leadership. He explained that the Council would move beyond monitoring and regulatory functions and work toward facilitating an environment in which health professionals can perform their duties effectively.
He also emphasized the need to update existing health-related laws, regulations, and the Code of Ethics according to contemporary professional requirements. Technical and legal challenges, he said, would be addressed through consultation with relevant stakeholders.
He further highlighted plans to formally incorporate Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities within the Council’s framework, maintain records of professional development activities, and strengthen digital services such as “Hello NHPC” to allow health professionals to communicate their concerns and suggestions directly to the Council.
4. Address by the Chairperson
In his address, Mr. Mikal Devkota, President of DSHAN, highlighted the need for stronger recognition, protection, and professional development of dental health professionals in Nepal.
He called for appropriate representation of dental hygienists in health policy and regulatory structures. He also raised concerns regarding the professional challenges faced by dental hygienists and emphasized the importance of ensuring that legally recognized scopes of practice are respected and implemented.
Mr. Devkota further advocated for greater government regulation of oral healthcare products, particularly in relation to the quality and safety of toothpaste and other oral health products. He called upon stakeholders to work together to protect the public from substandard products.
He also stressed the importance of training dental hygienists alongside dentists whenever new technologies, equipment, materials, and clinical procedures are introduced.
5. Scientific and Professional Sessions
A major component of the summit was the scientific and professional presentations delivered by national and international speakers.
RDH Prakash Gautam
Deputy General Secretary, Central Committee, DSHAN
RDH Prakash Gautam participated as a distinguished speaker and contributed to the professional discussions surrounding the summit’s broader objectives of strengthening oral health, innovation, prevention, and professional collaboration.
Mr. Aman Saxena
Country Manager of Youjoy – India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan & Sri Lanka
Mr. Aman Saxena delivered a presentation on:
“Sterilization for Contamination Free Dentistry.”
The session focused on the importance of appropriate sterilization and infection-control practices in maintaining safe dental clinical environments and preventing cross-contamination.
Dr. Gitana Rederiene, MSc, PhD
Lithuania, Europe
Dr. Gitana Rederiene delivered an online international scientific presentation on:
“Diagnosis, Treatment and Management of Periodontitis and Gingivitis in Dental Hygienist’s Patients.”
The session addressed periodontal disease recognition and management and highlighted the important role of dental hygienists in periodontal prevention, treatment support, patient education, and long-term maintenance.
Advocate Bibek Kumar Thakur
Advocate Bibek Kumar Thakur delivered a legal and professional presentation entitled:
“Legal Status and Scope of Practice (Dental Health Professionals: CDS / DH / DA).”
The session provided an important perspective on the legal framework governing dental health professionals and their scope of practice.
Mr. Nabin Karki
Audit and Account Trainer
As part of the Professional Development Workshop, Mr. Nabin Karki delivered a session on:
“Empowering Health Professionals: Advanced Audit and Account Training for Effective Financial Governance.”
The session emphasized financial accountability, auditing, accounting practices, and effective financial governance for professional organizations.
RDH Amrit Bhusal
Oral Health Advocate
RDH Amrit Bhusal presented:
“Nepal’s Oral Health Care System: A Policy Framework for Institutional Quality, Good Governance, and Sustainable Development.”
The presentation focused on oral health policy, institutional quality, governance, and sustainable development within Nepal’s oral healthcare system.
Dr. Suraj Bhusal, Ph.D.
Sports Physiotherapist
Dr. Suraj Bhusal delivered a special session entitled:
“Facial Paralysis & Oral Health – Your Role. Better Care. Better Outcomes.”
The session highlighted the relationship between facial paralysis and oral health and emphasized the role of dental hygienists in oral health assessment, prevention of complications, oral hygiene adaptation, saliva-related care, patient education, monitoring, and interdisciplinary referral.
6. International Participation
The summit also featured significant international participation, particularly from Bangladesh, strengthening professional relations and global partnerships in oral health.
A delegation from the Dental Science Society of Bangladesh (DSSB) participated in the summit. The international delegates included:
- Ms. Priyanka Shukul – President
- Md. Abdur Rahim – Senior Vice President
- Anwar Hossain – General Secretary
- Sujon Mitro – Joint General Secretary
- Md. Saiful Islam – Organizing Secretary
- Ummay Jahan Bonna – Legal Secretary
- Sujan Chakraborty – Advisor
- Ayub Ali – Member
Their participation added an important international dimension to the summit and created opportunities for professional networking, knowledge exchange, and future collaboration between dental health professionals in Nepal and Bangladesh.
7. Professional Development and Capacity Building
Professional development was one of the key focuses of IOHS4 2026. The summit recognized that strengthening oral health services requires not only clinical knowledge but also professional leadership, legal awareness, financial governance, infection prevention, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The inclusion of sessions on sterilization, periodontal care, tooth wear, legal scope of practice, oral health policy, financial governance, and facial paralysis provided participants with a broad and multidisciplinary learning experience.
The summit also reinforced the importance of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for dental hygienists and other health professionals.
8. Entertainment and Motivational Segment
The summit also incorporated an engaging motivational and entertainment segment.
Mr. Sandeep Chettri entertained and energized the audience with his motivational speech and stand-up comedy, creating an enjoyable and interactive atmosphere for participants.
The program was further enlivened by the performance of Mr. Shyam Rana, Lok-Dohari singer, whose musical performance encouraged the audience to participate and dance.
The entertainment segment provided a refreshing balance to the academic and professional sessions and contributed to the overall success of the event.
9. Publication of the Souvenir
A souvenir book dedicated to the 4th International Oral Health Summit 2026 was also published and formally issued on the day of the event.
The souvenir served as a record of the summit and provided an opportunity to document the event, its theme, participating organizations, speakers, delegates, professional contributions, and other relevant activities.
It will also serve as a valuable reference and historical record of DSHAN’s efforts toward strengthening oral health and the dental hygiene profession in Nepal.
10. Event Coordination
The successful organization and execution of the 4th International Oral Health Summit 2026 was supported by the dedicated coordination of Mr. Sandip Krishna Shrestha, Coordinator of the event.
As the event coordinator, Mr. Shrestha played a significant role in the overall planning, coordination, and implementation of the summit. His responsibilities included facilitating communication among the organizing committee, speakers, guests, international delegates, partner organizations, and other stakeholders, as well as supporting the logistical and programmatic arrangements necessary for the smooth conduct of the event.
His coordination contributed to bringing together national and international speakers and delegates and ensuring that the scientific, professional, cultural, and entertainment components of the summit were effectively integrated into the overall program.
The successful execution of a multidisciplinary international event of this scale requires close teamwork, communication, and attention to detail. The contribution of the event coordinator, together with the organizing committee and supporting team, was therefore an important part of the success of IOHS4 2026.
11. Key Outcomes of the Summit
The summit provided an important platform for discussion and collaboration on several critical areas:
- Strengthening Nepal’s oral healthcare system.
- Improving oral health policies and regulatory frameworks.
- Recognizing and protecting the professional rights of dental hygienists.
- Promoting evidence-based oral health practice.
- Strengthening infection prevention and sterilization practices.
- Improving periodontal disease prevention and management.
- Increasing awareness regarding tooth wear and its causes.
- Clarifying the legal status and scope of practice of dental health professionals.
- Promoting Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- Strengthening financial and organizational governance.
- Promoting interdisciplinary healthcare collaboration.
- Increasing awareness of oral health issues associated with facial paralysis and other systemic conditions.
- Encouraging international collaboration and professional exchange.
- Promoting oral health services in underserved and marginalized communities.
- Encouraging cooperation among professional associations, government bodies, academic institutions, and the private sector.
12. Conclusion
The 4th International Oral Health Summit 2026 successfully brought together national and international stakeholders under the common vision of “Uniting for Better Oral Health: Innovation, Prevention, and Global Partnerships.”
Organized by the Dental Science Hygienist Association of Nepal, the summit demonstrated the growing role of dental hygienists and other oral health professionals in preventive healthcare, public health, policy development, professional education, and community-based oral health promotion.
The participation of the Nepal Health Professional Council, professional associations, private-sector representatives, international delegates from Bangladesh, public health professionals, legal experts, and other stakeholders made the event a significant multidisciplinary platform.
The summit not only provided opportunities for scientific learning and professional development but also opened avenues for dialogue on professional rights, legal scope of practice, policy reform, quality assurance, infection control, governance, international cooperation, and sustainable oral healthcare.
The successful completion of IOHS4 2026 represents another important milestone for DSHAN and reflects its continued commitment to advancing the dental hygiene profession and contributing to a healthier Nepal.
“Together for a Healthier Smile and a Brighter Tomorrow.”
