A step toward a national strategy for healthier smiles
A major step has been taken toward strengthening pediatric oral health in Armenia with the establishment of a National Working Group on Pediatric Oral Health.
As part of OHFAR – Oral Health Foundation for Children of Armenia’s mission to help achieve a future where no 15-year-old child in Armenia has untreated dental caries, OHFAR is committed not only to providing direct care, but also to supporting health-system-level changes that can create sustainable, long-term impact.
From a vision to a national initiative
The creation of a national working group and the development of a national strategic roadmap for pediatric oral health were first proposed and discussed during OHFAR’s public launch event in July 2025.
During the event, OHFAR discussed the importance of coordinated national action with Dr. Nune Pashayan, Director of the Maternal and Child Health Department of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia.
Recognizing that meaningful improvements in children’s oral health require collaboration across the healthcare system, OHFAR made the establishment of such a national framework one of its strategic priorities for 2026.
The first meeting of the National Working Group
On 16 June 2026, following OHFAR’s proposal and in alignment with other foundations working in the field, the Maternal and Child Health Department of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia convened the first meeting dedicated to establishing the National Working Group on Pediatric Oral Health.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders from across Armenia’s healthcare and education sectors, including representatives of:
- The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia
- The National Institute of Health
- eHealth Armenia / ARMED
- The Faculty of Dentistry of Yerevan State Medical University
- OHFAR
- Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
- Karagheusian Foundation
Bringing these organizations and institutions together creates an important foundation for coordinated action and shared responsibility for improving children’s oral health.
Developing Armenia’s first National Pediatric Oral Health Roadmap
One of the central objectives of this collaboration is to begin developing Armenia’s first National Pediatric Oral Health Roadmap.
A national roadmap can help establish common priorities, coordinate existing efforts, identify gaps in prevention and care, and create a framework for measuring progress over time.
For OHFAR, this is an essential part of achieving sustainable change. Treating children who already have dental disease is critical, but preventing disease and strengthening the systems that support children’s oral health are equally important.
A coordinated national approach can help strengthen prevention, improve access to quality oral healthcare, support early detection and treatment, and ultimately reduce the burden of untreated dental disease among children across Armenia.
Working together for lasting change
The establishment of the National Working Group represents more than the beginning of another initiative. It is an opportunity to bring together government institutions, medical and academic organizations, foundations, and other stakeholders around a shared national goal.
OHFAR is honored to have helped initiate this important collaboration and is committed to contributing its experience, expertise, and field-based perspective to the process.
Our goal remains clear: a healthier future for every child in Armenia, with healthy smiles becoming the standard rather than the exception.
The creation of the National Working Group is an important first step. Together with our partners, we look forward to turning this shared vision into a coordinated national strategy and meaningful, measurable improvements in children’s oral health across Armenia.
