Improving Maternal and Child Oral Healthcare

Dear Colleagues,

Maternal and child health has long been recognized as a key indicator of a nation’s development. Over the past few decades, global efforts have been directed toward improving the living conditions of women and children. Among the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, three directly address this area: reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, and promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. Within this context, oral health must be acknowledged as an essential component of overall health and well-being.

In public health, growing attention has been given to the role of social determinants and their impact on oral health inequities. From a life-course perspective, early childhood—including the prenatal period—plays a decisive role in shaping lifelong health, behaviors, and well-being. Therefore, oral healthcare for women must move beyond a fetal-centered view and acknowledge pregnant women as individuals who, due to temporary physiological changes, require specific oral health attention. This is a crucial window of opportunity to promote health for both mother and child.

Despite scientific progress, childhood oral diseases remain highly prevalent, and poor living conditions continue to challenge global health. Understanding the dynamic relationship between systemic and oral health, as well as between maternal and child oral health, and developing effective, evidence-informed interventions, are urgent needs.

With this Special Issue, we invite the scientific community to share research, reflections, and innovative solutions that advance maternal and child oral healthcare—strengthening evidence-based policies, promoting equitable access, and embracing cultural diversity within public health practice.

Dr. Lívia Guimarães Zina
Dr. Izabella Barbosa Fernandes
Guest Editors

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