Maria João Dias
Oral health as an agent of social transformation: breaking cycles of poverty through preventive and accessible intervention
- A seasoned Human Resources executive with a robust and diverse career at Sonae, spanning multiple business sectors, including Tourism and Retail, across Portugal and Spain—where she spent several years in Madrid.
- With a degree in Psychology and a postgraduate qualification in Management from Porto Business School, she specializes in people management strategies and organizational development.
- In recent years, she has led Compensation Management for Senior Executives and overseen International Mobility, playing a key role in shaping global policies and driving innovative practices.
- Her strategic and holistic approach to people management enables her to align talent strategies with business objectives, delivering impactful and sustainable results.
- She also leads Sonae’s corporate social responsibility program, Programa Somos Sonae, which supports employees facing psychosocial and economic vulnerability.
- The program includes initiatives such as an oral health project, in partnership with Mundo a Sorrir and the Portuguese Red Cross, as well as support programs for victims of domestic violence, and initiatives focused on financial literacy and mental health, among others.
Nationality: Portugal
Scientific areas: In Our Agenda (Oral Health as an Agent of Social Transformation)
8 of november, from 14h30 until 16h00
Innovation Box
Conference summary
Oral health is a fundamental tool in breaking cycles of poverty, promoting self-esteem, quality of life, and, above all, social inclusion.
Currently, oral healthcare is not accessible to all and, as it is predominantly provided within the private sector, a large portion of the population remains vulnerable to severe oral health problems.
These issues have a direct impact on absenteeism rates in both the workplace and schools, as well as on access to the labour market. This situation increases existing inequalities, placing socioeconomically disadvantaged populations at risk of extreme poverty.
Prevention, combined with accessibility, is essential for oral health to truly play a decisive role in combating poverty and social inequality.