Dentsply Sirona's sustainability partners

At Dentsply Sirona, we believe in the power of collaboration to create lasting, positive change. Through strategic partnerships with industry leaders, non-profit organisations, and academic institutions, we are working to transform dentistry, improve access to oral health globally, and advance sustainability.

We joined FDI as a founding partner to champion sustainability in dentistry among practitioners, patients, and the entire supply chain.

Together with FDI, industry leaders, and our customers, this partnership is creating a powerful movement for sustainable oral health. The Sustainability in Dentistry initiative is guided by three goals:

• Increase awareness of the need to implement sustainable actions in the dental community.
• Develop a guide for oral health professionals to identify actions that can lead to environmentally sustainable outcomes.
• Conduct a review of current literature and identify current research and guidelines, as well as address gaps in the literature regarding sustainability in dentistry.

In March 2022, we reached a key milestone: the launch of the Consensus Statement on Environmentally Sustainable Oral Healthcare. Developed through global collaboration, it outlines current practices and practical strategies to reduce dentistry’s environmental footprint.

This initiative also introduced the Sustainability in Dentistry Pledge and an interactive toolkit to help dental professionals take action — from small daily changes to long-term improvements.

Oral health is central to every person’s overall health, happiness, and well-being. For example, people who have lost five or more teeth by the age of 65 are more likely to suffer cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis — all of which severely limit their life expectancy.¹

As part of our sustainability strategy, BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World, Dentsply Sirona proudly supports World Oral Health Day (WOHD) and its mission to raise awareness of oral health as essential to a longer, healthier life.

Backed by the World Health Organisation’s global oral health strategy, which aims for universal access to oral care by 2030, WOHD aligns closely with our vision to go BEYOND — promoting preventive care and empowering healthier communities worldwide.

Held every year on 20 March, WOHD is led by FDI World Dental Federation to spotlight the prevention and control of oral diseases, which affect 3.5 billion people globally.² To support this, we have launched several initiatives:

• A Patient Education Toolkit for dental practices
• Internal awareness campaigns for our employees
• Promotional activities across our social media channels
• Global sponsorship of one of FDI’s WOHD Awards

In 2021, Dentsply Sirona entered into a five-year renewable partnership with Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organisation. Since then, we have announced a US$5 million donation, which includes:

• Supporting over 5,500 cleft surgeries.
• Supplying state-of-the-art equipment to outfit treatment centres.
• Dentsply Sirona International Smile Train Scholars programme: Supports in-person and virtual training and provides learning opportunities for Smile Train dental partners.
• Clinical education programme: Provides free access to the full online Dentsply Sirona clinical education curriculum for all Smile Train oral health professionals.
• Technology, R&D, and innovation: R&D and innovation know-how, including advanced dental technology and equipment to improve access to the best possible care for children affected by clefts.

Globally, one in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate.³ Clefts have a devastating impact on the quality of a child’s life, both physically and socially. As such, essential cleft care goes beyond surgery to include nutrition programmes, dental and orthodontic care, speech therapy, and emotional support.

Smile Train’s sustainable model empowers local medical professionals in 70+ countries to provide 100%-free cleft surgery and other forms of cleft care in their local communities.

In partnership with FDI and Smile Train, Dentsply Sirona is proud to have contributed to the first-ever global standard protocols for digital cleft treatment. These protocols are expected to improve the accuracy and efficacy of current treatments while providing dental professionals with a comprehensive clinical approach across all stages of care.

Additionally, we have developed a comprehensive clinical education course for dental professionals integrating digital technologies into their treatment plans, providing in-depth training in digital cleft care for oral health.

In addition, Dentsply Sirona, FDI, and Smile Train have released two videos filmed with real patients that provide clear, practical guidance on selected digital cleft care workflows and equipment. The first video focuses on pre-surgical care, while the second one centres on mixed dentition.

• Supported over 5,500 cleft surgeries through Smile Train since the launch of the partnership in 2021.
• Developed simplified treatment kits for underserved areas in collaboration with Project 32.
• Serving communities in need through partnerships with TeamSmile, Dental Lifeline Network, and Amazon Doctors.
• Raising awareness of the importance of oral health for overall health and well-being through World Oral Health Day activities.
• Helped develop the first-ever global workflows for digital cleft treatment in partnership with the FDI World Dental Federation and Smile Train.
• Fostering global diversity through partnerships with organisations like the National Dental Association.
• Encouraging medical-dental integration and universal access to oral healthcare through participation in Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s initiative.