Marginalised and underserved populations often experience a disproportionate burden of oral diseases, reflecting broader social and structural inequities.1,2 In Malaysia, oral health inequalities remain entrenched, particularly among marginalised groups such as the Orang Asli (OA) communities. These Indigenous peoples, comprising 0.7% of the national population, experience a disproportionate burden of oral diseases and have limited access to healthcare services.3 Additional barriers such as low oral health literacy, geographic isolation, and persistent socioeconomic disadvantage further compound these disparities.4,5 These inequities reflect deeper structural and social disparities, contravening the principles of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Addressing such disparities requires approaches that extend beyond traditional clinical delivery models. One promising, yet underutilised, avenue is to strengthen family cohesion as a driver of oral health promotion. Families are primary units of behavioural modelling, socialisation, and decision-making. Interventions that are designed with this in mind and embedded within family structures are more likely to result in sustained behaviour change.6