Zoi Tsarnava

Aristomenis I. Syngelakis and Zoi Tsarnava

The universal human right to oral health: a realistic utopia or a chimera?

Introduction: The recognition of oral health as a fundamental human right is established in the WHO Global Oral Health Strategy and Action Plan. Oral health is an integral part of overall health, affecting quality of life and social well-being, while its neglect burdens households and health systems. Yet, inequalities remain profound, unevenly affecting vulnerable populations and individuals.

Aim: To examine whether the universal human right to oral health constitutes a realistic political goal or a utopian pursuit and to identify the conditions for universal oral health coverage in the wider context of health equity.

Methods: A review, of WHO policy documents, UN human rights framework, and recent literature on rights-based approaches to oral health, including vulnerable populations, was conducted. Emphasis was placed on equity-oriented frameworks such as proportionate universalism and the introduction of a dedicated oral health budget in public health policy.

Results: To guarantee the right to oral health, the adoption of Universal Oral Health Coverage is required, combined with consistent action on the Social Determinants of Health. Integrating proportionate universalism, a dedicated oral health budget and an “oral health in all policies” approach is a necessary strategy to effectively address oral health inequalities. Nevertheless, promoting health equity demands wider social interventions towards a more fair society.

Conclusions: The universal human right to oral health can be considered as a “realistic utopia”: normatively grounded but politically and economically demanding. Its realization requires sustained commitment, intersectional action, and health, economic and social reforms with an emphasis on equity.

Zoi Tsarnava, is a pharmacist with extensive experience across community, social, and hospital healthcare settings.

She holds a Degree in Pharmacy from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Management from the Hellenic Open University, further strengthening her expertise in healthcare systems, administration, and quality improvement.
She has been working as a Hospital Pharmacist at the National Rehabilitation Center in Greece since 2017. In this role, she is responsible for the safe management, dispensing, and monitoring of pharmacotherapy, working closely within a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
Since 2021, she has also been serving as Quality Manager at the same institution, contributing to the development and implementation of quality management systems, ensuring compliance with healthcare standards, and supporting continuous quality improvement initiatives. She is also recently certified as an Internal Auditor for ISO 9001:2015, enhancing her expertise in quality assurance and regulatory compliance.
From 2015 to 2017, she worked as a Community Pharmacist in a community pharmacy, gaining valuable experience in patient counseling, medication dispensing, and primary healthcare services. Earlier in her career, she worked as a responsible pharmacist at the Social Pharmacy of Larissa, where she was actively involved in the organization and delivery of pharmaceutical services to vulnerable populations.