A partnership between large organizations Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona has led to the creation of a new device which should aid improvements in access to care for those with cleft-related problems. The device – called Primescan 2 – has the potential to help a range of people, especially those from low-income and sparsely populated areas.
A partnership between two large organizations has yielded the creation of a new device which will hopefully result in improvements in access to care for those with cleft-related problems [1].
The creation is called the Primescan 2, which is a portable, cloud-based dental scanner which can be used in a variety of locations – improving access to treatment [1].
This update is very positive. Anyone with oral health problems – regardless of their location – deserves to get the treatment they need.
What is a Cleft lip?
Cleft lips are a very common facial birth defect. A cleft is a gap or split in the upper lip. Clefts exist when a baby’s face doesn’t join together properly during development in the womb.
However, those with clefts face problems with breathing, eating, speaking and hearing in their formative years. While these problems typically ease as they get older, some problems can be lifelong without treatment.
Children with clefts typically have poorer oral health than those without. For example, one study found that in children aged 4-6, those born with a cleft had significantly poorer oral health than those who didn’t [2].
Therefore, getting treatment is important. Treatment normally involves corrective surgery. However, not everyone can afford this, especially those from poorer backgrounds.
Fortunately, several charities that aim to help with cleft treatments exist. These charities have helped to provide care for many children around the world.
The World Health Organization have reported that globally, clefts exist in one in every 1,000-1,500 births [3].
The partnership
The aforementioned partnership is between Dentsply Sirona and Smile Train. Dentsply Sirona is the world’s largest manufacturer of dental products and technologies [1].
Meanwhile, Smile Train is the largest cleft-focused organization in the world. They have made significant contributions towards cleft-focused research and treatments.
In fact, Smile Train has recently celebrated its 25th anniversary [1]. They have provided over 2 million cleft surgeries in its history [1]. This equates to over 80,000 surgeries a year.
This partnership works well as it combines a manufacturing giant with an organization that has significant reach in terms of finding the right recipients for care.
This is summed up by Andrea Frohning – senior vice-president at Dentsply Sirona. She calls it a “perfect partnership” as Dentsply Sirona “manufacture the equipment that allows Smile Train to reach a broader group of patients who might otherwise be unreachable” [1].
The partnership began in 2021, with Dentsply Sirona committing $5 million in donations, research, development and technological support to assist children and adults affected by clefts [1].
Primescan 2
The biggest achievement of this partnership has been the creation of Primescan 2, which was launched in September 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada [1].
Primescan 2 is a portable and fully cloud-integrated dental scanner that can help dentists to design and create dental restorations – including crowns, bridges, and dentures in-clinic [1].
The dental scanner connects seamlessly with existing CAD/CAM systems, which means it can feasibly be used by any dental practice [1].
Therefore, highly remote and sparsely populated areas which normally wouldn’t have access to such devices can benefit from this technology too [1].
The aim for both organizations in the partnership is to integrate cleft care into the healthcare policies of nations around the world. Subsequently, this would ensure that every child with a cleft can access treatment.
How will this help?
One of the biggest issues in the treatment of cleft patients is the distance that they typically need to travel. This is especially the case in some poorer nations.
Phillip Carroll – senior vice-president of communications at Smile Train – says that “half of our patients travel between two and five hours to reach care facilities, some travel for more than 18 hours” [1].
Therefore, this technology can cut down on travel time and costs, and provide more localized care [1]. This is very convenient for all parties involved.
Its low-cost and transportable nature should mean that it can be used every country around the world. This should help provide care to a huge number of people.
Smile Train hope that their positive work in this industry will continue. The organization estimated that their work has boosted economies by $69 billion in more than 90 countries [4].
The partnership will continue to run in the next few years. The development of Primescan 2 is another innovation that will hopefully result in further improvements in care for those with cleft-related conditions.
Thinking points…
1) Do you have, or know, a child with a cleft lip? If so, this article could be very interesting for them. Smile Train offers excellent resources on their website, especially if you or someone you know is looking into corrective surgery. Why not share this article with your social network now?
2) Many people, including those with a cleft lip, are at an increased risk of oral health problems. However, even if you are not at an increased risk, it is still important for you to look after your oral health. One way of helping your oral health is to attend regular dental appointments. At these appointments, a dentist can take a look at your oral health in detail and provide advice and a treatment plan if needed. We recommend that you book an appointment now!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!
References
[1] Al-Shibeeb, D. (2024). Transforming cleft care: non-profit, dental giant use portable scanners to reach remote communities. Available: https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/news/perfect-partnership-new-tech-allows-smile-train-to-expand-global-cleft-care-with-dentsply-sirona-1003982574/. Last accessed: 14th November 2024.
[2] Chopra, A., Lakhanpal, M., Rao, N. C., Gupta, N., & Vashisth, S. (2014). Oral health in 4-6 years children with cleft lip/palate: a case control study. North American journal of medical sciences. 6 (6): p266–269. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1947-2714.134371.
[3] Putri, F. A., Pattamatta, M., Anita, S. E. S., & Maulina, T. (2024). The Global Occurrences of Cleft Lip and Palate in Pediatric Patients and Their Association with Demographic Factors: A Narrative Review. Children. 11 (3): 322. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children11030322.
[4] Smile Train. (2024). Smile Train Announces Global Cleft Surgeries Boost Economies by $69 Billion in More Than 90 Countries, According to New Report. Available: https://www.smiletrain.org/news/smile-train-announces-global-cleft-surgeries-boost-economies-69-billion-more-90-countries. Last accessed: 14th November 2024.
