LIV is a NPO that provides holistic residential foster cluster care for orphaned and vulnerable children in Sub-Saharan Africa, creates family environments where children receive a sense of belonging, education, nurturing, and physical care. It had plans to open a health care centre dedicated to looking after these children, which sparked the company's donation.
Oral diseases remain a main public health concern in South Africa because of its severity, high prevalence and debilitating effects on a person's quality of life. Oral health care remains one of the most expensive services to deliver and requires extensive resources. South Africa's poorer communities do not have the expendable income or access to the necessary infrastructure to prevent and treat oral diseases, especially orphaned children. In South Africa alone, there are 5 million orphaned and vulnerable children, mostly due to HIV/AIDS and poverty.
In 2014, dental practitioner Dr van Niekerk informed the company of the severe struggle KwaZulu-Natal's orphans face regarding oral health care. The company, a world leader in digital dentistry, believes that every South African child has the right to proper oral health, regardless of his or her financial circumstances.
"We believe that a person's mouth is a gateway to their overall health," says Andy Cyprianos, Sirona South Africa's GM. "Recent studies have linked poor oral health to diseases such as diabetes and heart problems. In contrast to the physical risks, a person's smile can have very positive emotional effects. Research conducted by Harvard School of Dental Medicine indicates that smiling creates optimism."
The C8+ dental chair, the company's top-of-the range product made in Germany, was handed over by Cyprianos at LIV Health Care Centre's official opening ceremony on 12 June.
He said the company is proud to be associated with this effort and that this donation "enables LIV Health Care Centre to provide the same standards of professional oral care that children receive in urban areas." He added that the company feels privileged to be a part of government's mission to serve South Africa's parentless children and secure a positive future for them. "With this donation, we hope to give every LIV child a reason to smile," he concludes.
