La Mesa de trabajo por la Salud Bucal del proyecto interinstitucional de cooperacion “Gestion de Politicas Publicas y Salud”, tiene como proposito promover una reflexion que conduzca a la formulacion de propuestas de politica publica que afecten positivamente la salud general y su componente bucal. Existen en el ambito mundial y nacional antecedentes de dicha politica que han sido desconocidos por la reforma al sistema de seguridad social en salud, lo que ha provocado en el caso especifico de Medellin el desmonte de programas de salud publica que en otros tiempos mostraron ser eficaces y eficientes. Se exponen algunos ejemplos que ilustran esta afirmacion y se proponen algunos enunciados basicos que deben hacer parte de una politica publica con impacto en el componente bucal de la salud. Se concluye que los cambios politicos, economicos y demograficos que el pais ha experimentado en los ultimos anos, han dado lugar a un determinado perfil de salud enfermedad que debe ser atendido mediante la gestion organizada de la sociedad; el componente bucal de la salud tambien se ha visto afectado y la practica odontologica convocada a responder a las necesidades nuevas o antiguas que en este campo tiene la poblacion. ABSTRACT. The workshop on Oral Health by the interinstitutional cooperation “Management of Public Policies and Health” has the objective of promoting a reflection conducive to the formulation of public health proposals that have a positive effect on the general health and its oral component. There are precedents of such policies and the local and international levels that have gone unrecognized by the reform to the social security system in health; this has produced, in the specific case of Medellin , the dismantling of public health programs that have proven their efficiency and efficacy in previous years. Some examples that show this statement are presented and some basic enunciates are proposed which should be part of a public policy with impact on the oral component of health. It concluded that the political, economic and demographic changes experienced by our country in the past recent years have given place to a determined profile of health disease which should be attended by the organized management of society. The oral component of health has also been affected and the dental practice called to respond to the new or old needs that the population has in this field.