As the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, Dentsply Sirona believes that everyone deserves a healthy smile. The company is supporting Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organisation, in its endeavour to set a Guinness World Record title for the largest online photo album of smiling mouths.

The record-setting campaign kicks off in July, which is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month and will end on World Smile Day, October 6, 2023. Dentsply Sirona is proud to support its partner in this challenge and will donate $20,000 USD to Smile Train once the Guinness World Record title is reached.

Since 2021, Dentsply Sirona and Smile Train have partnered to advance the provision of safe, high-quality, and expert cleft care from diagnosis through to comprehensive care delivery. To date, Dentsply Sirona has proudly helped to fund cleft surgeries for over 1,000 children.

To set the record, the campaign needs the participation of thousands of people – over 20,000 – from all over the world, to submit pictures of their smiles in an online photo album. Everyone older than 13 years who would like to participate is welcome to upload a photo and share their smile!

To participate, go to https://www.everysmile.org/dentsplysirona and click ‘I want to make history!’ The platform will do the rest: help you position your smiling mouth, snap the picture, and upload it.

The goal of this campaign is not only to set a new Guinness World Record, but to raise awareness about clefts and the important work that Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona do to help children and all people with clefts around the world.

Dentsply Sirona invites people around the world to join hands and support even more children in getting access to cleft care. It invites everyone to share their smile and when united we help Smile Train set the record by October 6, 2023, Dentsply Sirona will donate $20,000 USD to Smile Train, in support of additional life-changing cleft surgeries.

Erania Brackett, senior vice president orthodontic aligner solutions & customer experience and head of sustainability at Dentsply Sirona, said, “We are proud to help shine a light on the important work that Smile Train does to help children and all people with clefts around the world.

“I am excited to see our global community rally together for an ambitious campaign to set a Guinness World Record and to see the beautiful diversity of thousands of smiles from people all over the world in support of an amazing cause.”

Empowering children with cleft for a brighter future

Every three minutes, a baby is born with cleft. People with cleft often have difficulties eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. This can also affect emotional and psychological well-being and development in children, especially when left untreated or unmanaged. Provided that access to care is available, the treatment of cleft lip and/or palates starts as soon as possible after the baby is born. Most children with clefts undergo a series of surgeries as they grow and develop. Depending on the severity of their cleft and other factors, a child could go through multiple surgeries as well as various types of dental treatments, i.e., orthodontic, endodontic and implant treatment during their first 20 years.

Susannah Schaefer, president and CEO of Smile Train, said, “We’re passionate about smiles because we know what a serious business they are. As an organisation that supports free cleft surgeries and comprehensive cleft care, including oral health care, we are embarking on a global effort to honour all smiles by setting a world record.”

A partnership for the future of cleft care

Modern cleft treatment is safe, effective, and lifesaving, but not everyone has access to it. Digitalisation is playing a critical role in increasing access to oral care and has so much potential for cleft care. Together in partnership with Smile Train and the FDI World Dental Federation, Dentsply Sirona supported the development of the first-ever global standard protocols for digitalised cleft treatment as well as a clinical education course that offers cleft professionals in-depth training on digital cleft care protocols and support integrating digital technologies into their treatment plans. Combining the right technology with the necessary infrastructure and education, these new protocols make the entire treatment process easier for patients and their families and will support cleft professionals in advancing cleft care with confidence.

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