AIFF and IASD-IDA have signed a three-year MoU to strengthen oral healthcare in Indian football through preventive care, dental assessments, education, emergency support, referrals and treatment for players across academies, national teams and football initiatives.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Academy of Sports Dentistry–Indian Dental Association (IASD-IDA) have entered into a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening oral healthcare support for football players across India. The agreement was signed on Friday at the Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, marking a significant step towards integrating structured dental and oral healthcare into the country’s football ecosystem.
The partnership focuses on preventive care, oral health education, dental assessments, emergency support, treatment referrals and follow-up services for athletes. The initiative is designed to ensure that oral health becomes an integral part of player welfare rather than being addressed only when serious problems arise.
The MoU also formalises a collaboration that has already entered the implementation stage. At the AIFF-FIFA Telangana Talent Academy, athletes identified with oral health concerns have already been referred for treatment through a designated dental institution. The initiative is now being extended to other AIFF academies to create a broader and more organised healthcare network for footballers.
As part of the ongoing programme, a team of IASD-IDA sports dentists is visiting the AIFF-FIFA Odisha Talent Academy in Bhubaneswar this week. The team is conducting pre-competition dental assessments to identify unmet oral healthcare needs among athletes. Players are being assessed and triaged, with appropriate referrals, treatment and follow-up being facilitated through an identified dental institution.
The partnership is being developed as a continuum of care rather than a one-time dental screening programme. Through IASD’s flagship Krida Danta Suraksha – Champions’ Winning Smiles programme, athletes will receive support covering dental assessments, oral health education, preventive guidance and management of dental trauma and avulsion.
The programme will also include Basic Life Support training, helping coaches, staff and other personnel become better prepared to respond to emergencies involving athletes. Structured referral pathways will further enable players requiring specialised treatment to receive timely medical and dental assistance.
Over the three-year period, the initiative is expected to progressively expand across AIFF academies, national team camps and other football-related programmes. It will also focus on educating coaches and support staff about oral health and dental emergencies. Selected football events may have trained sports dentists deployed to provide specialised assistance to players.
Another key component of the partnership will be the development of standard operating procedures for dental emergencies. The initiative will also encourage research and the development of evidence-based best practices related to oral healthcare in football.
AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan said player welfare extends beyond the football pitch and that oral health is an important part of overall athlete wellbeing and performance. He highlighted the importance of providing young players, particularly girls, with access to specialised healthcare while promoting preventive practices across Indian football.
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Dr Ashok Dhoble, honorary secretary general of the Indian Dental Association, said the collaboration reflects the organisation’s commitment to taking preventive oral healthcare beyond traditional clinical settings and into sporting environments.
By bringing professional dental expertise, education and referral networks closer to athletes, the AIFF-IASD-IDA partnership seeks to strengthen early intervention, safety and long-term oral health. The three-year initiative is expected to establish a structured and sustainable oral healthcare framework covering Indian football academies, national teams and other football initiatives.
