"Tooth" Doctor comes back from Italy with "Smile of child" caravan
Article added on: 31/05/2007
Bucharest - 31 May 2007. For the second consecutive year, the Italian Embassy in Bucharest has the honour to patronize the coming back to Romania of “Overland for Smile – Smile of child” humanitarian campaign– an ample programme of free dental medical aid for the children living in social assistance centres from all over the world.
As the members of the project promised when they left Romania in September 2006, there has come the time to meet again with their younger patients, whom they could not meet so far, but whom were promised dental aid in 2007 too; “ It is quite unusual for us to go to the same country one year after another. Our decision to come back to Romania is based on the fact we didn’t go to all children centres that need our help. It is a duty of honour to keep our promises from 2006 and to keep on providing free dental aid to those children whom, because objective reasons, we could not see” said Lionello Grossi, President of Overland for Smile Foundation.
In 2006 Romania was the first beneficiary of an extensive plan regarding the implementation of infantile oral health standards in South-East Europe. After almost 3 months of humanitarian and material efforts, the whole Italian dentists team presented the results of their daring action: in 68 days of hard work there had been made over 3740 dental interventions using last generation equipment, there had been treated almost 2000 children, within 55 daily administrations.
Along 106 days of mission the caravan stopped in 11 big cities: - Bucharest, Brasov, Bacau, Iasi, Oradea, Cluj Napoca, Hunedoara, Deva, Alba Iulia, Timisoara and Lugoj – they visited 60 orphanages and more than 48.000 km were covered. The best results were obtained on the spot. The little patients were very receptive and co-operative; they put aside their fear and learned very well simple techniques of oral cavity hygiene.
It is very important to say that the mission drew the participation of no less than 250 dentists, assistants and hygienists, all volunteers in this project. The caravan had: 1 truck equipped with complete fitted units, with 5 devices having auto-disinfectant system, laser, ultrasounds, air-conditioned, as well as a video camera connected to Internet and 2 minibuses for the doctors.
This year, “Overland for Smile” caravan intends to start its mission in Romania on the 2nd of June, in Suceava where it will stay for 2 weeks. Then they will go to Bacau, Galati, Tulcea, Constanta and Bucharest. They will stay 2 weeks in each of these locations.
We have to mention that this year’s vehicle has a new look, with an orange cabin, orange being the most appreciated colour by the little patients.
After Romania “Overland for Smile” caravan will go on with its mission of free dental medical aid for the institutionalised children in Bulgaria, in 2008.
About Unimpresa Romania
Unimpresa Romania (Unione delle Imprese Italiane in Romania) has involved itself in this project, as it wants to raise funds that cover the operational expenses of the caravan in Romania. Up to the moment when the campaign started, Unimpresa collected 64.000 Euro that they donated to Overland for Smile Director during the cocktail organized on the occasion of starting the project in 2007.
About Overland for Smile
Started in 1995, the object of “Overland for Smile” project is to offer free dental medical aid to institutionalised children from all over the world, to send information/methods about dental diseases prevention to the people who permanently come into contact with children, and to promote experience exchanges between dental associations and special universities from Romania and Italy.
In the last 6 years, Overland caravans drove 1.500.000 km through the most inaccessible regions in 121 countries.
***For the great impact “Overland for Smile – Smile of child” campaign had in Romania, at the end of March the impressive magazine Bucharest Business Week offered Cefin Romania, a promoter of this initiative, “Corporate Social Responsibility Awards – 2007” for “Health” section.
The prize was given as a result of free votes expressed on BBW web site, 10 other nominated projects competing for this section.