News

News

Below you will find the news articles of the Ivory Cross. Are you looking for press releases? then click here.

Below you will find the news articles of the Ivory Cross. Are you looking for press releases? then click here.

Uitreiking Backer Dirks Preventieprijs 2026
Tijdens het Jaarcongres van het Ivoren Kruis op 11 april 2026 werd ook de Backer Dirks Preventieprijs 2026 uitgereikt, een bekroning voor innovatieve en effectieve initiatieven op het gebied van mondgezondheid. 1e plaats: “Scriptie over het fluoridegehalte in fluoride tandpastatabletten” – In hun bachelorscriptie onderzochten Anne Landwehr Johan en Rosemarijn van de Woestijne de fluorideconcentraties van twintig...
Terugblik Jaarcongres: voeding en mondgezondheid centraal
Op zaterdag 11 april gingen we tijdens het Ivoren Kruis Jaarcongres de breedte én de diepte in over voeding in relatie tot mondgezondheid. Cariës is een ziekte. Een goede mondgezondheid is niet alleen afhankelijk van de preventiestrategie - goed poetsen mét fluoride en zo weinig mogelijk suikers eten - maar ook van het immuunsysteem, het...
Afscheidsinterview met Sanae el Moussaoui – Studentenvoorzitter
Na een intensief en leerzaam jaar nam Sanae el Moussaoui tijdens de Algemene Ledenvergadering op 11 april 2026 afscheid als studentenvoorzitter van het Ivoren Kruis. Met haar open houding en betrokkenheid wist zij een hecht team neer te zetten en zichzelf tegelijkertijd uit te dagen. Haar vertrek kwam voort uit een bewuste keuze: de combinatie...
Pilot ‘Stoppen met roken’ binnen de mondzorg
Mondzorgverleners die graag een actieve rol spelen in de begeleiding van stoppen met roken, kunnen nu via het Ivoren Kruis opleidingen volgen. Er is op 21 maart een pilot geweest van de opleiding en die was succesvol. Eerste cursusdag: veel enthousiasme Tijdens de algemene ledenvergadering in het najaar van 2025 nodigden wij leden uit om...
Jaarcongres Ivoren Kruis 2026: voeding, suiker en mondgezondheid
Op zaterdag 11 april organiseert het Ivoren Kruis het Jaarcongres 2026 in Congrescentrum 1931 in ’s-Hertogenbosch: ‘Eten met impact, mondgezondheid begint op je bord’. Tijdens deze dag delen wetenschappers en zorgprofessionals de nieuwste inzichten over de impact van voeding en suiker op mondgezondheid — van microbiologie tot gedragsverandering. Onder de sprekers zijn onder meer hoogleraar...
Inschrijftermijn verlengd: ding mee naar de Backer Dirks PreventiePrijs 2026
Heb jij een vernieuwend project dat bijdraagt aan preventieve mondzorg? De inzendtermijn is verlengd: je kunt je inzending nu tot 1 maart 2026 indienen. Preventie verdient een prijs! Werk jij aan een initiatief dat écht verschil maakt in preventieve mondzorg? Misschien met kinderen, ouderen of een kwetsbare doelgroep. Of juist met een aanpak die breed...
Nieuwe leidraad: mondzorg voor kwetsbare ouderen in Wlz-instellingen
Nieuwe leidraad: mondzorg voor kwetsbare ouderen in Wlz-instellingen Werken aan mondzorg voor zorgafhankelijke kwetsbare ouderen in Wlz-instellingen vraagt om een duidelijke, uniforme aanpak. De Leidraad mondzorg ouderen in Wlz-instelling (2025) biedt praktische handvatten voor mondzorgprofessionals en zorgteams rond preventie, organisatie, regie en behandelafwegingen bij complexe zorg- en gedragsproblematiek (zoals dementie). Albert Feilzer, voormalig decaan ACTA...
Compete for the Backer Dirks Prevention Prize 2026!
Enter the Backer Dirks Prevention Prize 2026! Do you have an innovative project that could make a difference in preventive oral care? Perhaps you work with children, the elderly, or a vulnerable group. Or is your intervention suitable for a very broad audience? Your preventive approach can make all the difference in the chair, but...
MondzorgHUB launches JGZ network map × Oral care
MondzorgHUB launches JGZ network map × Oral care With the new JGZ Oral Care guideline (2025) and the upcoming payment system for dental hygienists at the child health clinic (2026), structural collaboration between youth healthcare and oral care is getting closer. The guideline is clear: every child should visit a dental practice from the moment their first tooth appears. In practice, however, this is not yet possible everywhere...
Minister responds to Ivory Cross call for Government Commissioner for Oral Care
Minister responds to Ivory Cross call for Government Commissioner for Oral Care. The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport has responded to a letter from the Ivory Cross dated August 28, 2025, regarding the appointment of a Government Commissioner for Oral Care. In the letter, we call on the cabinet to appoint a Government Commissioner for Oral Care. We also identify several bottlenecks within...
Ivory Cross strengthens social role with action for the De Bilt Food Bank
On Friday, October 24, 2025, the Ivory Cross and De Bilt Food Bank joined forces to offer food bank customers free dental care. Visitors could use a specially equipped dental bus for a checkup or treatment—completely free of charge. Albert Feilzer, chairman of the Ivory Cross, and Merel van Doeveren of...
Why dental care in basic insurance is a good idea
Why dental care in basic health insurance is a good idea: Many people in the Netherlands don't visit the dentist simply because they can't afford it. We find this worrying, because a healthy mouth is important for your health. That's why the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN), commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, is investigating whether dental care for adults...
Basic Gewoon Gaaf course now also on Saturdays
Basic Gewoon Gaaf Course Now Available on Saturdays. Several practices requested that the Basic Gewoon Gaaf Course be held on a Saturday in Naarden. A free Saturday often makes it easier for the entire team – or a large part of it – to participate. Therefore, on Saturday...
Annual dental check-up back in basic insurance
Annual dental checkups back in basic health insurance. Dental care isn't a luxury, it's basic care. Thanks to over 345,000 signatures on the Doctors of the World Netherlands petition, this topic was recently on the agenda of a two-minute debate in the House of Representatives. A motion by the Socialist Party (SP) to include annual dental checkups in the...
New Advice on Caries Prevention
New Caries Prevention Recommendation. The Scientific Advisory Board of the Ivory Cross has issued a new Caries Prevention Recommendation. This recommendation is based on national and international scientific sources and practical experience from the field. The recommendation includes general advice for everyone (the basic recommendation) and additional advice for active caries. Both the full recommendation and the...
Oral health care in crisis – time for a government commissioner
Dental care in crisis – time for a government commissioner. More and more Dutch people are struggling to access affordable and accessible dental care. The shortage of dentists, long waiting times, and high costs lead to untreated complaints. This affects not only our health but also our chances at school and in the workplace. We are concerned because...
Oral health education for young asylum seekers in Rotterdam
Oral health education for young asylum seekers in Rotterdam On July 2, student members of the Ivoren Kruis, together with dentist Semra Genc from Tandarts West, provided oral health education to young asylum seekers aged 2 to 17. Parents of the youngest children were given brushing advice. A valuable initiative, made possible in part by the Mano foundation, which...
Together we fight tooth decay – for 115 years!
Together we fight tooth decay – for 115 years! Since 1909, the Ivoren Kruis has worked tirelessly for a healthy mouth for everyone. With the support of partners and more than 25 dedicated volunteers per day, we provide more than 5,500 brushing lessons at primary schools throughout the Netherlands each year. And with success: prevention has ensured that...
Advice on Caries Prevention – summary updated
Caries Prevention Advice under revision The Caries Prevention Advice is intended for anyone who provides professional advice on preventive oral care. The Advice was drawn up by the Advisory Board for the Prevention of Oral and Dental Diseases of the Ivory Cross. The advice is currently being revised. The revised summary of the advice is already available. Go to Advice
Doctors sound the alarm: vaping is dangerous
Doctors sound the alarm: vaping is dangerous Doctors are very concerned about acute and very serious lung problems caused by vaping. At least five young Dutch people have escaped death in recent months after using a vape. They ended up in critical condition in hospital, four of them were in a coma for a long time, it appears...
Chairman of the Ivory Cross sounds the alarm: 'Teeth are actually sick in themselves'
Today, on World Health Day, EditieNL will be focusing on a remarkable study on oral health in the Netherlands at 18:15. The Dental Health Barometer – a study by Haleon and the Ivory Cross – shows that one in five Dutch people do not brush their teeth daily. A worrying result, according to em. prof. Albert Feilzer, chairman...
Ivory Cross Annual Congress 2025 'Caries a disease!'
Annual Congress Ivory Cross 2025 'Caries a disease!' On Saturday April 12th we celebrate the 115th anniversary of the Ivory Cross at ACTA in Amsterdam! Under the title Caries a disease! it promises to be a day full of insights into oral health and the approach to caries. As keynote speaker, Prof. dr. Rodrigo A. Giacaman Sarah will come over from...
Awareness as the key to better oral health
Awareness as the key to better oral health Prevention is the future of oral care. That is what Hans Prakken, board member of the Ivoren Kruis, emphasizes in a recent interview with Dental Info. He points out the importance of a proactive approach: the more people are aware of their own role in oral health, the better the preventive results...
Meet Ivory Cross at the National Day for the Prevention Assistant 2025!
Meet Ivory Cross at the National Day for the Prevention Assistant 2025! On January 17, Ivory Cross will be present in Ede with an information stand during the National Day for the Prevention Assistant 2025. Come along and discover everything about the work of the association, including practical tools for prevention in dentistry. In the meantime, Ivory Cross organizes special...
Ivory Cross advocates for oral care in basic health insurance
Ivory Cross advocates for oral care in basic health insurance On Thursday 7 November, the House of Representatives will meet to discuss the accessibility of (oral) care. A report by VWS calculates the consequences of the possible introduction of five scenarios to improve access to oral care. Ivory Cross sent a letter with recommendations to members...
QR code for online information in waiting room
Flyer with QR code for online patient brochures The Ivory Cross has more than 30 handy patient brochures with understandable information about oral health. These brochures can be viewed online on our website and can be ordered in the webshop. Do you not have (or do you want) numerous brochures in your practice, but do you still want to point out these...
Get started with GigaGaaf-to-go!
Get started with GigaGaaf-to-go! GigaCool-to-go! is the project of the Ivory Cross, UMCG and TNO to improve the oral health of the youngest children. With GigaGaaf-to-go!: clinics and dental care practices come into contact with each other and make agreements about collaboration. Do parents of young children hear at the child health clinic about the importance of...
Videos of presentations Annual conference '10 years Gewoon Gaaf'
Video presentations Annual conference '10 years Gewoon Gaaf' On April 20, several speakers shared valuable insights about oral health and prevention during the Ivory Cross Annual Conference '10 years Gewoon Gaaf'. All presentations have been recorded on video and can be viewed again: Jaap Seidell: Nutrition and oral health Nutritional scientist and professor Jaap Seidell emphasized in his presentation...
Review of Annual Conference '10 years of Gewoon Gaaf'
The Ivory Cross looks back on a successful Annual Congress '10 years of Gewoon Gaaf'. On Saturday, April 20, more than 300 participants gathered at the Jaarbeurs Utrecht, where the 10-year celebration of the caries prevention method Gewoon Gaaf was central. The conference offered an extensive program with various speakers who shared important insights about oral health and prevention....
Winners of the 2024 Prevention Prize
During the Annual Congress of the Ivory Cross, the long-awaited Prevention Prize 2024 was also awarded, an award for innovative and effective initiatives in the field of oral health. 1st place: "Pass on a smile" - A heart-warming initiative by Lisette van der Harst and Saskia den Hartog from Smiles World in Vianen. Their dedication to education and...
Prevention on Bonaire
Prevention on Bonaire The Ivory Cross was asked by our overseas municipalities of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba to provide support in prevention. This in collaboration with the oral care practices there and the Public Entity. On April 8 and 9, some of our regular teachers from the Prevention Academy provided the...
Saturday March 30 at 4:30 PM on RTL4
In the new RTL4 program Choose Your Teeth, everything revolves around oral hygiene and oral care and specialized dentists help patients get rid of their dental problems. The first episode is on Saturday, March 30 at 4:30 PM on RTL4. The program is made possible by Ivoren Kruis, KNMT and Haleon.
Annual conference '10 years Gewoon Gaaf'
Gewoon Gaaf has been around for 10 years. The Ivory Cross conference on April 20, 2024 will focus on this prevention method. We will be guests at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 5 fascinating speakers (Prof. Dr. Jaap Seidell, Jette Christiansen, Pauline Dekker, Lina Jasulaityte and Arie Hoeksema), an excellent lunch,...
Nominees Prevention Prize 2024!
Nominees Prevention Prize 2024: Together with Dental Tribune, we challenged you to describe in 500 words which great prevention initiatives you have developed, in order to compete for the Prevention Prize 2024. We received 19 entries from 14 applicants for this call. One contributor suggested two initiatives and another even five. There were...
In-depth course Gewoon Gaaf for prevention assistants
In-depth Gewoon Gaaf course for prevention assistants. Of the oral care providers, the (prevention) assistants are the most involved in the implementation of Gewoon Gaaf. That is why the Ivory Cross is starting a course especially for (prevention) assistants. The first course will take place in Naarden on Friday, May 31. Register for this! The course is based on the 3 pillars...
Call to the House of Representatives: set up an independent Oral Care Commission
Call to the House of Representatives: set up an independent Oral Care Committee The motion on insured oral care, which was voted on at the end of January 2024, unfortunately did not pass. That is why Ivoren Kruis is once again calling on the House of Representatives to set up an independent Oral Care Committee. A committee that examines the entire problem of oral health in...
New board member: Jur van Latum
Jur van Latum was appointed as a new board member with the 'student committee' portfolio during the AGM of Ivoren Kruis on December 11, 2023. Jur briefly introduced himself to those present during the AGM of December 11. He answers seven questions below to get to know him in more detail: You have the 'student committee' portfolio...
Oral care in the draft election programmes
The Rutte cabinet has fallen and there will be elections in November. The Ivory Cross has included the oral care thermometer in the draft election programmes. Most parties have published a draft election manifesto, only the NSC has not yet done so. The draft election programs still have to be approved by the party members. So they could still make small changes. Most parties...
Gewoon Gaaf has been around for 10 years
Gewoon Gaaf will be celebrating its 10th anniversary next year. The Ivory Cross Congress on April 20, 2024 will focus on this prevention method. We will announce the content of the varied program and the names of the speakers of that day in stages. We are proud to announce that the founder of Gewoon Gaaf,...
In memoriam Huib Kalsbeek
Huib Kalsbeek, born in Katwijk in 1937, died in Katwijk on July 11 at the age of 85. He dedicated his working life to healthy teeth for everyone. On the one hand, by conducting very meticulous epidemiological research, and on the other hand, by fulfilling functions at the Ivory Cross for many years. Huib Kalsbeek was a member of...
The Ivory Cross sounds the alarm!
The Ivory Cross is sounding the alarm because more and more children and adults with bad teeth, 'cavities', are arriving in the Netherlands. We don't want this, we need to change course! The fallen cabinet has wanted to do little to reduce or prevent the many problems facing oral care. Problems, most likely due to...
RVS in favor of oral care in the basic package: "It saves a lot of money in the long run"
RVS in favor of oral care in the basic package: “It saves a lot of money in the long run” The Council for Public Health & Society (RVS) advocates a drastic overhaul of the healthcare system. The advice of RVS was presented on June 19, 2023. De RVS, one of the most important government advisers, concludes that the current healthcare system is causing healthcare to come to a standstill...
'Include dental care in the basic insurance, because avoidance of dental care causes more costs'
'Bring dental care back into the basic insurance, because avoidance of dental care causes more costs' On Wednesday, June 14, 2023, Doctors of the World and the FNV will hand over the 'Black Book of Oral Care' to the House of Representatives in The Hague. It contains testimonials from people who avoid dental care because of the high costs. “In this way we show that there is a large national…
WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan (GOHAP) 2023-2030
On May 25, 2023, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan (GOHAP) 2023-2030. This translates the vision, purpose and strategic objectives of the Global Strategy on Oral Health into more than 100 actionable interventions for stronger and more coordinated oral health action…
Social role of dental care providers
Oral health care providers play an important role in promoting oral health. Ivoren Kruis has drawn up a list of social projects with which a dental care provider can make an extra contribution to prevention in oral care: giving brushing lessons at schools via Keep your mouth healthy! support for food banks, for example via Adopt a smile! become a contact person for Doctors Without...
'Six times more children visit a dentist thanks to cooperation'
Thanks to a successful collaboration between Center Youth and Family (CJG) The Hague, GGD Haaglanden and Stichting Jeugdtandzorg West, six times more children (0-4 years) go to the dentist in The Hague. With this collaboration between dental care and the CJG, The Hague is a forerunner of the rest of the Netherlands. In the summer of 2021,...
WHO report reveals alarming state of oral care worldwide
The WHO report 'Global Oral Health Status Report' paints a clear picture of the prevalence of oral diseases and contains data from 194 countries. At the end of 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the new edition. The last edition of this was almost twenty years ago. The data in the report is based on the most recent results of...
Interview with new chairman of the Ivory Cross, Albert Feilzer
'Since December 2022, Prof. Dr. Albert Feilzer has been chairman of the Ivoren Cross. He succeeds Onno Hofman, who was chairman for the past seven years. Feilzer is professor of General Dentistry and was previously dean at ACTA. What does he want to achieve with the Ivory Cross and how does he look back on his time as dean?' Dental...
'The need for stronger public health care'
According to the Council for Public Health & Society (an independent advisory body for government and parliament), public health is under pressure. In the advisory report 'On our health - the need for stronger public health care' (dated 18-04-2023), the Council makes recommendations for creating a solid foundation for public health care. Read more on the website of the...
Looking back at the 2023 Ivory Cross Annual Congress: Is caries a disease?
Looking back at the 2023 Ivory Cross Annual Congress: Is caries a disease? The Ivoren Kruis looks back on a successful Annual Congress. With inspiring speakers, involved partners and curious visitors, April 1, 2023 was a successful conference day. You can read a report of this day below. See also the photo impression The Ivoren Kruis has noticed that there are still many people...
Broadcast box office BNNVARA 'Is fluoride-free toothpaste harmful?'
As many as 1 in 10 people brush without fluoride, according to research by the Kassa program of BNNVARA. In March 2023 they made a broadcast about the risks of brushing without fluoride. Dagmar Else Slot, professor of Prevention at ACTA, among others, speaks in the broadcast: “It is precisely the addition of fluoride that is very...
Pilot 'Gewoon Gaaf' at ROC van Twente great success
Pilot 'Gewoon Gaaf' at ROC van Twente great success Scientific research in the Netherlands (Dr. Erik Vermaire 2013) shows that working according to the 'Gewoon Gaaf' method can lead to about 70% caries reduction. The Ivoren Cross has been providing Gewoon Gaaf courses since 2014. About 2000 Gewoon Gaaf-certified dental care professionals now work according to this method. Sanne Aarninkhof, lecturer at...
Annual Congress Ivory Cross 'Is caries a disease?'
Caries is one of the most common chronic diseases. However, a chronic lifestyle disease that can be prevented with the right diet and behavior. The Annual Congress of the Ivoren Cross will take place this year on Saturday, April 1, 2023, we are guests at ACTA in Amsterdam. Prior to this, the annual General Meeting of Members of the Ivory...
Kuipers wants a dental hygienist at the consultation office
Kuipers wants a dental hygienist at the consultation office Children should be able to be checked by a dental hygienist at the consultation office, says VWS minister Ernst Kuipers. That is why he wants to agree with health insurers, sector organizations and municipalities that such an inspection can be claimed from the health insurer. In doing so, he responds to a motion tabled by the PvdA and the four coalition parties on November 1.
The Chamber wants better oral care for children in deprived areas
Parliament wants better oral care for children in deprived areas The House of Representatives wants children from high-risk groups, such as families with a low income and/or from deprived areas, to receive better oral care. The cabinet must arrange for dental care coaches to be installed at all consultation centers in deprived neighbourhoods, the House of Representatives decided on Tuesday via a motion by the PvdA and the...
Is the school dentist coming back?
Is the school dentist coming back? As far as the Ivory Cross is concerned, the last word has not yet been said on the reintroduction of the school dentist. Doctors of the World have put our reasons for this very well in their newsletter, Read more. "Minister Schouten of Poverty Policy wants the school dentist to return, because one in five children never see a dentist...
Research into the quality of youth dental care with a subscription fee
Zorgverzekeraars Nederland (ZN) has asked the Ivoren Cross to participate in a study into the quality of youth oral care when it is provided with a subscription fee. The experiment involves research into the quality of insured oral care for young people (0 to 18 years) when the reimbursement system changes from 'service' to 'subscription'. It...
'Oral care up to 18 years free!'
Research has shown that 10 to 15% of youth up to the age of 18 do not make it to the dentist. This often seems to be for a financial reason. The Ivoren Cross wants to draw the attention of (parents of) this group to the fact that dental care is free up to the age of 18 and has developed an information poster for this purpose. Do you want...
Help to food bank customers
Roll up your sleeves for volunteer dentists Xander Meijs and Hans Prakken (also board member of Ivoren Kruis). Twelve customers of the Food Bank Emmen received free emergency treatment and information in the mobile dental practice of Doctors of the World on 23 June. Also view the item from the NOS news (from 3:32 pm). And the article and video...
50,000th cleaning package Keep your mouth healthy! awarded
On Saturday 21 May, Maud van Gageldonk (Colgate) presented the 50,000th cleaning package to Marleen van der Waal (het Vogelnest). Since 2007, hundreds of thousands of Keep your mouth healthy! lessons have been given throughout the country with the cleaning packages. During these lessons, children at primary school are taught knowledge about the mouth and the body in a light-hearted way.
Annual Congress Ivory Cross
Annual conference 'A closer look at prevention in oral care' On Saturday 21 May, the Ivoren Cross is organizing the annual conference 'A closer look at prevention in oral care'. We are guests at ACTA in Amsterdam for this. We cordially invite you to this! Prior to this, the annual General Meeting of the Ivoren Cross takes place (for members)....
Webinar 'A generation free from lifestyle diseases' – March 28, 7 p.m
Webinar 'A Generation Free from Lifestyle Diseases' – March 28, 7:00 PM Dr Marnix Hoppener is a physician who is fully engaged in the prevention of lifestyle diseases. He has developed the 'Johnny Joker' prevention program for oral care. The program focuses on teaching and promoting healthy behavior in children and helps oral care professionals in the...
Ivoren Kruis demands political action
Ivoren Kruis demands political action The Ivoren Kruis has sent a letter to the ministers. In this letter, the association for prevention in oral care calls for attention to be paid to oral care as an essential part of health care: 'Although oral care is not mentioned in the coalition agreement, it does have various, major bottlenecks that have existed for years...
Healthy Toddler Mouths wins SIA RAAK award 2021
  The research project Healthy Toddler Mouths of the research group Innovations in Preventive Care at Hogeschool Utrecht has won the RAAK public award. The prize was awarded at the SIA RAAK Congress 2021, as part of the selection of best projects in practice-oriented research. With Healthy Toddler Mouths, the researchers are using a new way to prevent cavities in...
Nutrition and oral health go hand in hand at Vogelnest
In addition to cleaning lessons at schools, the Ivoren Cross also wants to focus on transferring knowledge to young people. The Ivoren Cross in Het Vogelnest Primary School in Bodegraven has found a great partner to do a try-out to achieve this. This primary school places healthy living high on the education program and in this experiment,...
Cor van Loveren wins prestigious DENTZ medal
On Wednesday 3 November, our honorary member, Cor van Loveren, was awarded the DENTZ medal by the Dutch Scientific Association of Dentists. It is a prestigious medal, which is only awarded sporadically. Only to people who have made an extraordinary contribution to the dental practice. That applies to Cor van Loveren. At the same time, Cor remains modesty itself....
Healthy toddler mouths nominated for SIA RAAK award 2021
The research project Healthy Toddler Mouths by Peggy van Spreuwel (Lectorate Innovations in Preventive Care, Hogeschool Utrecht and Section Society and Oral Health, ACTA) is one of the six contenders for the SIA RAAK award for best practice-oriented research. Read more on directorial organ-sia.nl With Healthy Toddler Mouths, the researchers are using a new way to...
Fluoride toothpaste now officially essential medicine
Good news! Fluoride toothpaste is included in the new WHO list of essential medicines. Caries (tooth decay) is the most common non-communicable disease, both worldwide and in Europe. Fluoride toothpaste has been proven to significantly reduce the incidence of caries and this recognition by the WHO is essential for reducing the incidence of disease. The...
'Healthy Together' in the urban region of Utrecht
With the area of expertise 'Healthy Together', the HU uses education and research to reduce the health and welfare problems of people in the urban region of Utrecht, to increase their self-reliance and to improve their lifestyle, social and physical safety. This mission fits well with U on Board. This PhD research from...
Gewoon Gaaf at StandbyDay
The numbers don't lie, children still have too many caries. Research shows that preventive oral care leads to healthier patients. Teachers from the Ivoren Cross, Dorothée Quant and Marit Verschuuren-Kuijer will give a workshop during the StandbyDag on November 6. During the workshop, an introduction will be given to the scientifically proven prevention method 'Just...
Oral care professionals have an important role in improving public health
Integrating dentistry into general health care is a hot topic these days. This is again evident from an essay published in the Journal of Dental Education. Dr. Keith Mays writes that oral care professionals have the opportunity to play a crucial role in improving the overall health of the population. DentalInfo wrote...
New website live
Welcome to the new website of the Ivory Cross! You can still find a lot of information on the website. At the same time, the website is more user-friendly and fresher. We are happy with it and hopefully you as a visitor too. We look forward to your responses. Even if things can be improved, we are happy to adjust them.
Doctors of the world campaign 'Oral care in the basic package'
Almost one and a half million people in the Netherlands have no money for the dentist. While oral care is not a luxury, but a basic right. Aid workers from Doctors of the World see the distressing consequences of neglected oral care on a daily basis. They do what they can to help people get rid of their pain, but emergency problems alone can't solve the problems...
CDA wants 'hole-free generation'
A hole-free generation - that's what the Ivory Cross is (also) for! Read the article 'CDA wants 'cavity-free generation': dentist is free for children, but they go too little' (source: Volkskrant)
Oral health is now one of the global health priorities
Oral health is now high on the list of global health priorities. At a meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 27, 2021, health ministries around the world approved a resolution urging member states to address key risk factors for oral disease. Read the article from DentalInfo and the...
Letter to informant
The Ivoren Kruis has sent a letter to the informateur Mariëtte Hamer. In it we express our concerns about the oral health of the Dutch population. We call for improvements in oral disease prevention. In addition, we are calling for a review of the oral care business model. The Ivory Cross proposes to set up a broad independent commission...
Five eating moments healthy for stomach and mouth

Politicians from left to right believe that oral care does not belong in the basic package. An outdated position, argues AJ Feilzer in the Volkskrant.

In memoriam Wim van Palenstein Helderman
On January 21, 2021, Prof. Wim van Palenstein Helderman passed away at the age of 77. Wim was a great advocate of preventive dentistry both at home and abroad. He supported the Ivory Cross with the introduction of Just Cool. It was his firm belief: “Attention to your own dental care is essential....
Online brushing lesson for primary school students
During this time, extra attention is needed for good oral health. But how do you take care of that? This initiative shows oral care providers can now carry out their good prevention activities in other ways. In collaboration with the Ivory Cross and Colgate-elmex, NVM chairman Manon van Splunter provided an online Keep your mouth healthy! lesson on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. During the day...
New practical guideline for young people motivates use Just Cool
The new KIMO guideline shows the current insights regarding the disease caries and answers frequently asked questions in practice. It shows how you can best approach prevention in children and which treatment methods you can use for caries. 'Is the Caries Prevention Advice (@Ivoren Kruis) being followed?' is the starting question. Then there are...
Report Ivoren Kruis Annual Congress 2020
'Better dental care for youth through a subscription fee?' Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the autumn conference 2020 could not take place in physical form. Instead, the Ivoren Cross organized a webinar discussion that was followed by more than 450 interested people. In the webinar, opinions were gauged about a statement made by the Ivory Cross: “If the funding of…
'Just like the stomach, the mouth is part of basic health insurance'

Politicians from left to right believe that oral care does not belong in the basic package. An outdated position, argues AJ Feilzer in the Volkskrant.

Is Dutch oral care too focused on curation?
The statement in the monthly Facebook poll of the Dental Tribune caused a lot of discussion: 'Dutch oral care is still far too focused on curation'. Dental Tribune asked the Ivory Cross to respond. Increasingly, there is a plea for preventive oral care, where the emphasis is not on treatment, but on...
Remote patient care – conversation scripts for inspiration
For her work at Jeugdtandzorg West in The Hague, Lina Jasulaityte has drawn up scripts that can be helpful during telephone conversations. “We now have to focus on causal treatment and our relationship with the patient” Lina says: “Due to the corona pandemic, we have to call many patients to cancel the appointments in practice. I...
Oral care in 2030 – the vision of the Ivory Cross
What will oral care look like in 2030? In a series of interviews, the NT allows various associations to speak about this. What will oral care look like in 2030? In a series of interviews, the NT allows various associations to speak about this. Chairman Onno Hofman of the Ivory Cross argues in NT 2, 2020 for even more...
NRCT: 'Gewoon Gaaf' strategy in cavitation
Lina Jasulaityte and René Gruythuysen have the same ideas about treating children with restraint from a preventive basic idea. During the Ivoren Kruis Annual Congress 2019 on Gewoon Gaaf, they show in their presentation that oral care for children comes down to finding the right balance between causal therapy (NOCTP and NRCT/UCT) and symptomatic therapy (sealant, ART,...