The Oral Health Promotion Unit of the Health Promotion Bureau is the national authority responsible for promoting oral health in the country. We create oral health messages and disseminate them to the public using various information, education, and communication (IEC) materials. Our primary focus is on all age groups through a life cycle approach. Additionally, we train various categories of health staff in oral health promotion at the field level. This training can be either direct or in the format of training of trainers programs. Furthermore, we conduct national reviews of the country's oral health initiatives to ensure effectiveness and improvement in oral health. 

Program and Responsibility

Strategic Information

Conducting trainer of trainer programs and training sessions for various healthcare professionals such as regional dental surgeons and school dental therapists.

Planning

Contribute to promote oral health through the development of IEC materials.

Planning

Coordinating oral health promotion activities at a national level across the entire country.

Planning

Oral health promotion in all health promotion settings including preschools, schools, work places, hospitals. mother support groups, and happy villages.

Meet the team

Team Leader
Dr. Shanika Mututanthri

Consultant in Community Dentistry

Unit Head

Dr. Malathie Perera

Registrar in Community Dentistry

Dr. Manjula Amarasekara

Dental Surgeon

Dr.Niranjala Amarasena

Senior Registrar, Community Dentistry

Publications of Unit Head – Dr. Shanika Mututanthri

Mututanthri, S., Thoradeniya, T., & Harris, R. Development and validation of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire to assess free sugar intake among Sri Lankan preschool children. Journal of Nutritional Science, 2023: 12, E14. doi:10.1017/jns.2023.5

Mututanthri, Shanika, Thoradeniya, Tharanga. Samaranayake A, Harris R. Free sugar intake and associated factors among Sri Lankan preschool children. BMC Nutrition journal. 2022:1-9. doi:10.1186/s40795-022-00638-0

Dileep De Silva, S.R. Weerasuriya, S.A.D.N. Amarasena, S.A. Mututanthri, H.G.T.I.D. Wijesiri, D.S.C. Colombathanthri, Transformation of Management Information System in School Dental Services in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Dental Journal 2021: 51(03) 89-93

Dileep de Silva, H.H. Manori Danapriyanka, Shanika Mututanthri, Thushani Wijesiri, Suraj Colambathanthri School Dental Service in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Dental Journal 2018: 48 (03) 107-114

Shanika Mututanthri, Dileep De Silva, Sumangalie Perera, Suraj Colambathanthri, Narajala Jegamohan. Profile and training needs of the school dental clinic assistants. Sri Lanka Dental Journal 2019: 49(03) 98-102