Dentsply Sirona and Smile Train are seeking to improve access to and quality of cleft care through equipment donations to Smile Train partners’ centres and the distribution of oral health kits to patients, starting later this year. The long-time partners have put their joint focus on improving cleft care in underserved communities in Asia as this effort is the latest venture to come out of the five-year partnership between Dentsply Sirona and Smile Train.
To help improve cleft care for patients in the Philippines, Dentsply Sirona has donated two Primescan Connect intraoral scanners and an Orthophos S 3D extraoral x-ray imaging system, with a Primeprint 3D printer to be delivered later this year.
This equipment was gifted to Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation Philippines, Inc (NCFPI) in Manila, one of Smile Train’s regional Cleft Leadership Centers. NCFPI is a non-profit organisation that has been providing comprehensive cleft care to patients from underserved communities with cleft and craniofacial anomalies since 2006. Thanks to the dental technology donation, NCFPI has access to cutting-edge equipment, allowing their team of medical professionals to provide more personalised and effective care.
“We are delighted with this generous donation. The gift marks a significant stride in advancing cleft care for children in need across the country and enables us to provide even better outcomes and brighter futures to young Filipinos with clefts,” said Vanessa P Enriquez, executive director at NCFPI.
In addition, Dentsply Sirona will begin distributing 300 oral health kits to Smile Train partners’ centres across the Philippines, India and to be given to cleft patients and their families. The kits are made from sustainable products and include a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, a timer as well as a flyer with information on how to achieve and maintain oral health. The oral health kits were assembled by the Dentsply Sirona APAC Leadership team, while Dentsply Sirona employees wrote personalised get-well messages to go with them.
This initiative is a repeat of last year’s successful outreach project which saw Dentsply Sirona leadership teams and employees assemble 500 oral health kits which Smile Train subsequently handed out to patients in its partners’ facilities in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia.
“Creating healthy smiles is a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy ‘BEYOND: Taking action for a brighter world’, and helping children around the world gain access to cleft treatment is one of the most rewarding ways of doing this,” said Bruce Peatey, group vice-president APAC RCO at Dentsply Sirona.
He added: “We could not imagine a better partner than Smile Train and we are proud that together we are furthering cleft care not just in Asia, but around the world. It is thanks to the undisputed power of digital technologies that we have been able to advance the quality and access to cleft care significantly, effecting positive change and enabling life-changing treatment for those in need.”
“As we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, Smile Train is delighted to have found a partner in Dentsply Sirona who is as passionate about smiles as we are. Our joint work is beneficial to the cleft community and individuals born with facial differences. It also makes the work of the healthcare professionals who treat cleft affected individuals easier. We are looking forward to many more achievements in the future,” said Mamta Carrol, senior vice-president and regional director, Asia for Smile Train.”
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