Dentist helps South Africa with oral health plan

A dental corporate is flying one of its dentists to Durban in a bid to assess the dental hygiene situation at two schools and an orphanage.

Genix Healthcare then plans to provide the necessary tools to enable them to begin a long-term dental care programme.
 
As a part of its corporate social responsibility agenda, Genix has partnered with Lionsraw, a UK-based movement which harnesses the passion of football fans, taking them to World Cup events and European championships while doing charitable work during their stay. 
 
In 2010, Lionsraw took over 150 fans to the World Cup in South Africa and at the same time built an orphanage, sports changing rooms, a pre school, toilet blocks with over 50 toilets and ran football schooling for thousands of African children.

Since then it has continued the legacy to maintain these facilities and provide critical help for the long term.
 
Last week, Genix Healthcare dentist Roberto Gil Marques De Suza joined Lionsraw on its latest mission to Africa.

He joined a team of six people on an intensive four -day programme visiting two schools of 200 and 1,100 children with an official Zulu chief opening.

He will also visit a new orphanage built by Lionsraw and assess the oral care needs of 20 orphans.
 
During the trip Roberto intends to formulate a plan of what is needed to facilitate a long-term care programme and provide items such as toothbrushes, holders and toothpaste for each child.
 
Jon Burns, founder of Lionsraw, said: ‘This support from Genix Healthcare is truly fantastic and an essential building block in our mission to support a healthy and sustainable community. These children have no understanding about oral hygiene whatsoever and have never even seen a toothbrush.

‘This incredible generosity from Genix Healthcare will start to address vital problems with gum disease in many children who are still growing teeth.  Life threatening disease in these areas is very common and so the provision of simple items such as individual holders will help to minimise infection.’
 
Sian Nelson-Jones, clinical director at Genix Healthcare said: ‘Genix Healthcare is very committed to support the fantastic efforts of Lionsraw. It is extremely humbling to learn what these children have to endure, just to have basic schooling and even running water.  Genix has a long standing commitment to support education through football so when we were approached by Lionsraw it was a very appropriate extension to our existing corporate social responsibility agenda.  We look forward to learning about Roberto’s trip and how we can formulate a successful support plan for the long term.’

Favorite
Get the most out of your membership by subscribing to Dentistry CPD
  • Access 600+ hours of verified CPD courses
  • Includes all GDC recommended topics
  • Powerful CPD tracking tools included
Register for webinar
Share
Add to calendar