Reimagining dental education for Planetary health, One health, and environmental sustainability: a narrative review with case studies

Oral health is shaped by environmental, social, and systemic determinants that extend well beyond clinical care. As frequent points of contact within the health system, oral health professionals are uniquely positioned to advance sustainable practices and holistic health policies. Yet without targeted education, this potential remains underutilized. The growing impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, emerging infections, and non-communicable diseases underscore the need for transdisciplinary learning that recognizes the interdependence of human, animal, and planetary well-being. Planetary Health (PH) and One Health (OH) offer complementary frameworks to address these relationships, while environmental sustainability (ES) provides a practical pathway for safeguarding natural resources and long-term well-being. Aligning dental education with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals can further promote systems thinking, environmental responsibility, and preparation of future professionals for a more sustainable and equitable future. Together, these complementary approaches support the broader evolution of dental education and practice in response to escalating global challenges. This narrative review describes strategies and resources for integrating PH, OH, and ES into dental education and highlights initiatives at two dental institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom that have made substantial progress in developing formal curricula on these emerging topics.