Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona Intensify Drive in Asia to Improve Cleft Care for Patients in Need
Following a host of successful joint initiatives over the past couple of years, long-time partners Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona are expanding access to cleft care for underserved communities in Asia. The partners kicked off the joint activities earlier this year, with additional actions following later in 2024.
New York, NY (2 May, 2024) - Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organisation and Dentsply Sirona, the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, have put their joint focus on improving cleft care in underserved communities in Asia. The long-time partners 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. This effort is the latest venture to come out of the five-year partnership between Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona.
Dental equipment for Smile Train partner treatment centre in the Philippines
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”, says Vanessa P. Enriquez, Executive Director at NCFPI. “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”.
Donation of 300 oral health kits with a personal touch
In addition, Dentsply Sirona will begin distributing 300 oral health kits to Smile Train partners’ centres across the Philippines, India and China 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.
“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”, says Mamta Carrol, Senior Vice President and Regional Director, Asia for Smile Train”.
“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”, says Bruce Peatey, Group Vice President APAC RCO at Dentsply Sirona. “We couldn’t 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”.
For more information on the partnership between Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona, click here.
###
Smile Train Press Contact:
Nicole Bell | Vice President of Public Relations | Smile Train
+1(646) 829-0996 | nbell@smiletrain.org
About Smile Train
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit www.smiletrain.org.
Dentsply Sirona Press Contact:
Marion Par-Weixlberger | Vice President Public Relations & Corporate Communications
Sirona Straße 1 | 5071 Wals bei Salzburg, Austria
T +43 (0) 662 2450-588 | F
marion.par-weixlberger@dentsplysirona.com | www.dentsplysirona.com
About Dentsply Sirona
Dentsply Sirona is the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, with over a century of innovation and service to the dental industry and patients worldwide. Dentsply Sirona develops, manufactures, and markets a comprehensive solutions offering including dental and oral health products as well as other consumable medical devices under a strong portfolio of world class brands.
Dentsply Sirona’s products provide innovative, high-quality and effective solutions to advance patient care and deliver better and safer dental care.
Dentsply Sirona’s headquarter is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company’s shares are listed in the United States on NASDAQ under the symbol XRAY.
Visit www.dentsplysirona.com for more information about Dentsply Sirona and its products.