Global Policy Approaches to Combat Early Childhood Caries: A Scoping Review with Evidence Map

Lydia Thenmozhi Nagarajan^1,2*Imran Pasha Mohammed²Sundus Atique³Dr. Hammam Ahmed Bahammam⁴MUHAMOOD MOOTHEDATH⁵Mohammed Ali Habibullah⁶SHAUL HAMEED KOLARKODI⁵

• ¹Yenepoya (deemed to be University), Mangaluru, India
• ²Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) Dental College, Mangaluru, India
• ³Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
• ⁴King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Dentistry, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• ⁵Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
• ⁶Qassim University College of Dentistry, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a significant global public health concern that disproportionately affects young children, especially in low-resource settings. While numerous clinical and community-based interventions have been implemented, the role of policy in mitigating ECC remains underexplored at the global level. This scoping review aimed to identify, describe, and map policy approaches employed across countries to prevent and manage ECC. Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across four databases—PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar—covering studies published between 2014 and 2024. Twenty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed a wide range of policy strategies, categorized into preventive, regulatory, and integrative approaches, implemented across high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Most policies were situated in high-income countries and delivered through schools, health systems, or mass media campaigns. Notable gaps included limited policy coverage in low-income settings, weak integration with primary healthcare, and inadequate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. While some progress has been observed in ECC policy development, disparities in implementation and impact remain. This review underscores the need for comprehensive, equity-oriented, and system-integrated policy solutions to effectively address ECC on a global scale.