Department of Dentistry, Katihar Medical College, Al-Karim University, Katihar, Bihar, India

Department of Dentistry, Katihar Medical College, Al-Karim University, Katihar, Bihar, India

Oral health connects directly with the systemic well-being of an individual; however, medical education continues to neglect this important aspect of care. In this article, a synthesis of current evidence linking oral health with systemic health in areas ranging from cardiovascular disease, and diabetes to respiratory and obstetric complications is presented, advocating for the inclusion of dental literacy into medical curricula. The gaps in the teaching of physicians are depicted and the role of structured exposure to dentistry in improving such aspects as diagnostic accuracy, referral patterns, and patient outcome, especially among underserved populations, is highlighted within the text. Interprofessional collaboration is named a means toward holistic health care delivery, within this text. Therefore, the review calls upon reforming a curriculum; wherein dentistry is seen not as a peripheral concern but as an integral part of medical competence in the 21st century. Oral health is vital for overall health and should therefore be reflected in the medical curriculum. By integrating oral-systemic content, physicians would be better equipped to detect and manage associated conditions.