Dentsply Sirona teams from all over the world have again been out performing volunteer work. Through equipment, products and generous cash donations, Dentsply Sirona supports projects which equally do justice to the Company's mission of enabling better, safer and faster dental care and the vision of contributing to improving oral health worldwide. Here Spotlight presents four representative examples from North America, Asia, and Africa.
North America: Dentsply Sirona team supports largest dental charity in the U.S.
The Florida Dental Association Foundation's Mission of Mercy (MOM) in April was the biggest ever charity event in the United States. Within two days, over 2,900 patients received free treatment valued at 2.7 million dollars.
The event was an incredible success for the multitude of Dentsply Sirona volunteers, who were able to employ their expertise in many areas. All told, Dentsply Sirona provided 16 Schick sensors, an Orthophos XG 3D-ready unit, an Orthophos XG5 as well as bite blocks and luting materials, dozens of cables, plugs, control elements and other equipment for radiological examinations, endodontic procedures, restorations and pediatric dentistry. John Pauley, Intra-Oral Sales Manager, coordinated the deployment of the Schick sensors – a first for this event. Extra-Oral Sales Manager Andrew Bretko meanwhile took care of setting up the panorama and hybrid X-ray systems and showed the volunteers how they worked. The practitioners enthused over the quality of the X-ray images.
Dentsply Sirona has a strong tradition of supporting the MOM events in the USA. Through the donation of time, talent, and our innovative products and solutions, we empower practitioners to improve the lives of those who otherwise would not receive much needed dental care.
Asia: Dentsply Sirona China active in Cambodia
The temple complex of Angkor Wat is a world-renowned tourist destination in Cambodia. Six kilometers from this landmark attraction lies the city of Siem Reap with its population of 170,000. Despite its proximity to such a major attraction, the city is host to children living without basic dental care. A team, supported by Dentsply Sirona China, provided care in March.
The team of six dentists and 30 students from the Western International School of Shanghai (WISS) set off on a three-day mission to provide assistance in one of the less developed peripheral districts of Siem Reap. Dentsply Sirona China covered the travel costs for four of the six dentists.
The local dental clinic’s two treatment rooms lacked basic equipment and had neither a generator nor running water. Normal dental check-ups were performed out in the open and those with more serious dental needs were treated in provisionally equipped treatment rooms.
The team of volunteers from China worked through ten-hour shifts in temperatures of 38 to 41 degrees Celsius. Over the course of the mission, the team treated a total of 617 patients. Dentsply Sirona China is proud to have been a part of this effort helping to provide basic dental care for children.
North America: Smile returned to a mother of three
The Donated Dental Services (DDS) program of US-based charity Dental Lifeline Network (DLN) provides treatment to people who are disabled or elderly or medically fragile without the means to afford it. This is the story of Ellen, a mother of three children, who, thanks to the dedication of dentist Dr. John Cummins and support from Dentsply Sirona, got her smile back.
Since suffering a traumatic brain injury while giving birth to her youngest child, Ellen has had severe motor disabilities and has had to relearn to walk, talk and eat. She had some teeth missing, needed several implants and a new bridge. DDS volunteer, Dr. John Cummins offered to treat Ellen. Dentsply Sirona's support enabled Ellen's treatment, costing a total of $10,000, to be performed. On Mother's Day, Ellen premiered her first smile.
In tears, she said: "My smile is a gift to those who have helped me with love and devotion. A complete smile."
More than 15,000 dentists and 3,700 dental laboratories volunteer their services through the DDS program, which has already facilitated treatments totaling $325 million US dollars for over 110,000 people across the U.S. since it began in 1985. Through our Executive Chairman, Bret W. Wise, Dentsply Sirona is proud to be a part of DLN’s National Board of Directors.
The lives of thousands of people with special needs and seriously-neglected dental diseases have changed thanks to the generosity of Dentsply Sirona.
Africa: Aid to children in Senegal
Dentsply Sirona supports the voluntary commitment of the German Bilbassi Association and dentist Dr. Oliver Krauß at a hospital in the coastal town of M’Bour, located 80 kilometers south of the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
The Bilbassi Association has been committed to providing medical care to the population of Senegal for over 20 years. Since 2006, a hospital in coastal M'Bour has been systematically supplied with medicines and medical equipment. What started out as a pediatric hospital with just a few rooms now accommodates 140 beds, a surgical department with two operating rooms, an X-ray department, and a lab.
More recently, a dental practice was added to the hospital. "Help from Doctor Oliver Krauß came just in the nick of time", emphasizes Albert Pantle, Chair of the Bilbassi Association. Dr. Krauß, from Wetzlar, Germany made a treatment unit available to the association free of charge meaning that Senegal now has a fully operational facility to supplement services at the M'Bour hospital. Dentsply Sirona has also donated 14 instruments for the project, including high-quality T1, T2, and Endodontics instruments.
According to Albert Pantle, “at last, both junior and adult dental patients can now receive the best possible treatment at our hospital,” through the generous donations by Doctor Krauß and Dentsply Sirona.
In addition to supporting medical care, the association also focuses on sourcing and installing medical equipment which Dentsply Sirona is pleased to support in keeping with its commitment to better dentistry throughout the world.