Multi-year funding will advance oral health, as oral diseases are among the most prevalent and overlooked noncommunicable diseases impacting 3.7 billion people globally.1
NEW YORK, January 20, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Colgate-Palmolive announced a new multi-year collaboration with the WHO Foundation to support the World Health Organization’s work on oral health. The four-year funding commitment will help expand oral health education, support integration of oral health into national health systems, and raise awareness of oral health as a public health priority. This initiative builds on Colgate’s commitment to providing communities with oral health education and resources. The Company recently announced that the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program has reached approximately two billion children and their families around the world since 1991 with oral health education.
“At Colgate-Palmolive, we are driven by our purpose to reimagine a healthier future for all – and to make more smiles. We’re launching this collaboration with the WHO Foundation given its unique position to support global health challenges and Colgate’s leadership position in oral health as the brand that’s in more homes than any other,2” said Ram Raghavan, President, Enterprise Oral Care, Colgate-Palmolive. “Oral health is a critical – and too often overlooked – part of the global health agenda. We are committed to elevating oral health as a public health priority by scaling prevention and education and supporting evidence-based solutions that help strengthen health systems and improve lives across communities around the world.”
Oral health is foundational to overall health and wellbeing, yet remains underprioritized in many health systems. This neglect is exacerbated by factors such as economic status, education, health literacy, and access to healthcare.1 For children in particular, the consequences of poor oral health can lead to physical pain, emotional issues and challenges in education, including concentration difficulties and increased absenteeism.3-5 Through this collaboration, Colgate, part of the Colgate-Palmolive family of brands, and the WHO Foundation are supporting the World Health Organization to address persistent barriers affecting approximately half the world’s population, supporting efforts to integrate oral health into broader public health agendas and systems.
“The WHO Foundation supports WHO’s mission by mobilizing private funding in support of public health priorities,” said Anil Soni, Chief Executive Officer of the WHO Foundation. “Oral health plays an essential role in overall health, and progress depends on long-term investment in prevention, trusted guidance, and strong health systems. Support like this helps enable WHO’s work to advance oral health and improve health outcomes for communities around the world.”
A Shared Focus on System-Level Impact
The partnership aims to accelerate progress by elevating oral health as a foundational public health priority, guided by three strategic areas of action:
Scaling Oral Health Education: Helping to integrate core prevention and education principles into established government health infrastructure – such as school health systems – in designated regions.
Supporting Policy and Guidance: Supporting essential research to help Ministries of Health develop evidence-based, cost-effective recommendations for integrating oral health interventions into national health systems.
Increasing Prioritization: Supporting awareness through strategic, global, and cross-sector engagement to raise the profile of oral health and showcase the impact and outcomes of this partnership.
Colgate and the WHO Foundation are launching this partnership at a time when collaboration between public and private sectors is crucial to deliver progress against global health goals. At the recent Fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting, oral health was recognized and included as a public health priority in the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, with Member States supporting and calling for action. By focusing on preventive oral health measures, evidence-based policy, and broader public awareness about the link between oral health and overall health and wellbeing, this partnership seeks to improve lives around the world.
About Colgate-Palmolive Company
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, we sell our products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom’s of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, Lady Speed Stick, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Murphy, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet, Hill’s Prescription Diet and Prime100. We are recognized for our leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including our achievements in decreasing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, saving water, conserving natural resources and improving children’s oral health through the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, which has reached approximately 2 billion children and their families since 1991. For more information about Colgate’s global business and how we are building a future to smile about, visit www.colgatepalmolive.com.
About the WHO Foundation
The WHO Foundation is an independent organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, created in 2020 to support the mission of the World Health Organization. It mobilizes philanthropic capital and builds catalytic partnerships to advance health equity, respond to urgent health challenges, and strengthen systems that save lives. By connecting partners and practitioners, the Foundation helps scale trusted solutions, fund life-saving responses, and drive lasting change toward Health for All. who.foundation
References
World Health Organization. “Oral health”. 17 March 2025,
Worldpanel by Numerator. Brand footprint 2025: winning the 50:50 game. Published 2025.
Dörfer, C, et al. The Relationship of Oral Health with General Health and NCDs: A Brief Review. Int Dent J. 2017.
Kisely S. No Mental Health without Oral Health. Can J Psychiatry. 2016.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oral Health Fast Facts. Accessed August 18, 2025.
