As part of its sustainability strategy "BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World", Dentsply Sirona has supported the advancement and provision of access to cleft care in partnership with Smile Train for several years now. This support has been provided through donations of funds and equipment, and also via the development of global protocols for digital cleft treatment and enhanced clinical education, together with Smile Train and FDI World Dental Federation.

Charlotte, N.C., October, 2024. Dentsply Sirona, the world's largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, is proud to announce that its documentary "Journey of Smiles" has been honored with a Silver Dolphin at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in the "Corporate Online Media - Web Documentary" category. The documentary, which highlights the treatment journeys of several Colombian children with clefts from birth until early adolescence and the comprehensive care they receive with Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused organization. It has been recognized for its storytelling and dedication to raising awareness about the life-changing impact of comprehensive cleft care. Through moving testimonials from doctors, patients and their family members, "Journey of Smiles" showcases how digitalization has transformed cleft care, helping achieve better outcomes and making the entire treatment process more accessible for the young patients. The documentary also highlights the need for organizations, donors, and volunteers to come together and jointly help increase access to care for children with clefts, who, without treatment, face significant challenges with eating, hearing, speaking, and breathing.

"We are incredibly honored to receive this award. Globally, 1 in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate.[1] Accessing essential treatment and cleft care can be challenging for many families - particularly in low-income countries. As part of our sustainability strategy "BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World", we will continue to support efforts to expand access to comprehensive cleft care, and we hope that this award will get others to join us so that more children will receive the life-changing treatments that they need," said Marion Par Weixlberger, VP, Public Relations & Corporate Communications ​at Dentsply Sirona.

Collaboration with Smile Train

"Journey of Smiles" was produced by Dentsply Sirona, in collaboration with Smile Train and boutique agency LINGNER.COM. The documentary features interviews with cleft professionals, caregivers and the children themselves and not only highlights the medical aspects of cleft care but also delves into the emotional and social support that is crucial for the well-being of these children.

"This award is tremendously important to us as this documentary was a labor of love. It is one thing to read about the obstacles that children with clefts face, but quite another to witness them first-hand. Cleft care is truly life-changing and it is thanks to digital technologies that we have been able to advance the quality and access to cleft care significantly. I hope that this award will inspire more support and volunteers to help bring comprehensive cleft care to as many children around the world as possible," said Mihaela Chidean, Senior Corporate Communications Manager and Partnership & Documentary Development Lead at Dentsply Sirona.

An impactful cooperation

The "Journey of Smiles" documentary aims to capture the essence of the five-year partnership that Dentsply Sirona entered with Smile Train in 2021. Dentsply Sirona has helped fund more than 3,800 cleft surgeries and donated 22 pieces of digital equipment to nine Smile Train partner centers.

Another milestone of this partnership was the development of the first-ever global standard protocols for digital cleft treatment, in conjunction with FDI World Dental Federation. These protocols were designed to help improve the accuracy and efficacy of current cleft treatments by providing dental professionals with a comprehensive digital clinical approach across all stages of care.

"The "Journey of Smiles" documentary is compelling, eye-opening, and deserving of such recognition as it shines a light on the life-changing impact of comprehensive cleft care and the need for easier access to it. With committed partners like Dentsply Sirona, we can reach our vision of every person having access to safe, high-quality comprehensive cleft care and having the ability to live a full and healthy life," says Susannah Schaefer, President & Chief Executive Officer, Smile Train.

To view the Dentsply Sirona & Smile Train "Journey of Smiles" documentary, visit YouTube.

[1] https://www.smiletrain.org/what-are-clefts