Colgate-Palmolive India Partners with TNAI to Integrate Oral Health into Primary Healthcare

New Delhi, 05 September 2025: Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. has announced a collaboration with the Trained Nurses’ Association of India (TNAI) to strengthen oral health awareness and education across India. The initiative aims to integrate oral health into primary healthcare services and equip over 500,000 nurses and midwives with essential oral health education by 2026.

The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during the TNAI National Executive Committee Meeting in Delhi. The MoU was signed by Mr. Gunjit Jain, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Colgate-Palmolive India, Mrs. Annie Kumar, National President of TNAI, and Mrs. Evelyn P. Kannan, Secretary General of TNAI.

Research indicates that oral care practices remain inconsistent across India, with 80% of urban residents not brushing twice daily, 55% of rural residents not brushing daily, and 91% of the rural population not accessing dental care in the past year. To address this, Colgate and TNAI are implementing a five-module e-learning course through TNAI’s platform and the World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA), training nurses and midwives to provide oral health education in their communities.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Gunjit Jain said, “Oral health is integral to overall well-being, yet it is often overlooked. Nearly three out of four Indians are at high risk of dental problems. Nurses and midwives, with their trust and reach in communities, can play a pivotal role in early detection and education. Through this partnership with TNAI, we aim to empower them with the knowledge and tools to strengthen oral health literacy while leveraging the Oral Health Movement (OHM) data, which has the potential to map the country’s oral health status at the pincode level.”

Mrs. Annie Kumar and Mrs. Evelyn P. Kannan of TNAI welcomed the initiative, stating, “This collaboration reflects TNAI’s commitment to equipping India’s nursing and midwifery workforce with the competencies needed to advance public health and improve the well-being of communities nationwide.”

The collaboration is also supported by the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation (CNMF) and C3 Collaborating for Health. It forms part of Colgate’s broader Oral Health Movement, expanding its long-standing mission of improving oral health awareness and access across the country.

By training more than half a million healthcare professionals, Colgate and TNAI aim to lay the foundation for improved public health outcomes and ensure communities have better access to preventive oral care.