P/S seeks to reduce oral diseases in Vietnam by 10%

The program is a component of a strategic partnership between the two parties for improving oral health and reducing the number of people with oral diseases in Vietnam by 10% between 2022 and 2027.

P/S from Unilever Vietnam and the Vietnam Association of Odonto-Stomatology sign an agreement on the “P/S Protecting Vietnamese Smiles” program. Photo by P/S

The two will implement several activities to promote healthy brushing of teeth and increase access to dentists.

They will provide education on appropriate oral hygiene habits, communication initiatives to inspire 20 million people to properly brush their teeth day and night to prevent oral health issues; coordinate to implement the School Dentistry program to directly approach and spread the formation of healthy daily brushing habits to 2.6 million primary and preschool children.

They will carry out oral health checks in the community, including free dental examinations and consultations for 100,000 children and older people, and develop free remote oral examination and consultation activities through the 1800 7004 hotline and Internet to provide 10 million people with access to dentists.

Finally, they will carry out research by conducting surveys and clinical testing and testing the efficiency of the application of technologies on P/S’s product lines and organize forums for the dentistry community to discuss and acquire information and knowledge.

Dentists checked students’ teeth as part of the School Dentistry program in HCMC in 2019. Photo by P/S

Unilever and the P/S brand will use technology to support oral care in their upcoming “P/S Protecting Vietnamese Smiles” program.

“A dental consultation program through the P/S teledentistry hotline is a key initiative,” Nguyen Thi Bich Van, general manager of personal care Southeast Asia, head of country, Unilever Vietnam, said.

“With the support of the Vietnam Odonto-Stomatology Association, we believe that the project will lead to a creative breakthrough in addressing dental issues not just in Vietnam but also across Southeast Asia.”

A family uses P/S’s toothpaste. Photo by P/S

Since 1998 P/S has collaborated with the Vietnam Odonto-Stomatology Association to promote dental care and education among primary and preschool children across the country to “protect Vietnamese smiles.”

More than 40 dentists and program representatives went as part of over 20 mobile dental clinics to schools around the nation to kick off the campaign in 1998.

In 2014 the two parties responded to World Oral Health Day with activities such as the Vietnamese Kid Dentist Smiles League, which included live performances and artworks to enhance community awareness of the need for dental care and the Smile Marathon 2015-2016.

In 2022 P/S launched the P/S Call Center Dental Care Consultation with an expert as Covid-19 disrupted all aspects of life. The callers can speak to the dentist about their dental health and receive advice on proper oral hygiene.

Over the past two decades of dedication to protecting Vietnamese oral health, the program has achieved several notable milestones.

More than 25 million students have access to and knowledge about proper dental care. The program has also reached out to over 15 million individuals online to educate them on proper oral hygiene.

More than seven million children in schools and underprivileged regions will be offered free dental checks.

These efforts have contributed to an 11.8% decrease in permanent tooth decay in children since 1999, according to the 2019 National Oral Health Survey on the prevalence of permanent tooth decay in 12-year-old children.

“The Vietnam Odonto-Stomatology Association appreciates the assistance from P/S in carrying out community dental education and care efforts to help avoid oral health problems,” Prof. Dr. Trinh Dinh Hai, the association president, said.

“We are also excited to continue working with P/S and expand the program in future to make a greater impact on the community.”