Moscow, December 19, 2016 – The Wrigley Company Foundation and the Russian Dental Association (RDA) announce a new oral health program: Kids Smile Russia.
Children’s smiles are precious. According to the RDA, 73 percent of Russian children aged under 12 years suffer from tooth decay, and that share increases to 82 percent among 15-years-olds.
A new project launched by the RDA and supported by the Wrigley Company Foundation will provide dental care for children and teenagers between 7 and 18-years of age to help them retain a healthy smile. The program will target those in greatest need including children who live in large families, single-parent families, families with unemployed parents, as well as families with disabled children or infants.
“Unfortunately, dental health issues are quite common in our country. If help doesn’t come in time, they can lead to serious complications, making treatment more difficult. That’s why it is very important to develop and implement preventive care programs for children starting from an early age. Thanks to support from the Wrigley Company Foundation and the grant provided, we now have an excellent opportunity to help more than a thousand children minimize their risks of developing tooth decay and periodontal disease. This is an expansion of oral care programming the Wrigley Company Foundation supports around the world. They have already helped over 100,000 people and we are proud to become a partner and launch our program in Russia in 2017,” says Vladimir Sadovsky, President of the Russian Dental Association.
“Kids Smile Russia” will provide consultation by pediatric dentists and orthodontists, professional dental hygiene services, tooth decay treatment, as well as orthodontic screening and treatment. These are the key aspects of maintaining good oral health.
“We believe preventive care can significantly improve oral health, both globally and locally. Expanding Wrigley Company Foundation partnerships in Russia is very promising and a great opportunity to improve oral health. “Kids Smile Russia” will bring healthy smiles to children in disadvantaged families all across Russia,” comments Maher Batrouny, General Manager of Wrigley Russia.
Kids Smile Russia was launched in Chelyabinsk (Chelyabinsk Region), next cities are Lipetsk (Lipetsk Region) and Arsenyev (Primorsky Territory).
About the Wrigley Company Foundation
The Foundation’s mission is to improve the health of people and our planet through initiatives focused on oral health, environmental stewardship, and local needs. Since its founding in 1987, the Foundation has helped to improve and change lives around the world, donating more than $70 million to charitable causes. The Wrigley Company Foundation is headed by Martin Radvan (President) and Andrew Pharaoh (Vice President).
About Wrigley:
Wrigley (Mars Inc.) is a leading global producer of chewing gum and confections. Its world-famous brands, such as ORBIT®, 5™, Eclipse®, EXTRA® and DOUBLEMINT® (gum) and SKITTLES®, Rondo® and Orbit Drops® (candies and drops) create simple pleasures for consumers every day. With operations in approximately 50 countries and distribution in more than 180 countries, Wrigley's brands bring smiles to faces around the globe. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and currently employs more than 17,000 associates.
The company has been present in Russia for more than 20 years and operates a factory in Saint Petersburg. Brands sold in this country include ORBIT®, 5™, ECLIPSE®, DOUBLEMINT® and WRIGLEY’S SPEARMINT® gum, as well as Rondo® and SKITTLES®.
Wrigley operates as a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, whose net sales exceed $30 billion. The company has six business segments, including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience. Its more than 75,000 associates worldwide work every day to put into action the five Mars Principles: Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom. That drives the growth that makes us all proud.
The Russian Dental Association is Russia’s largest (and only nation-wide) organization for specialists in a particular type of medical care. Its role is to unite and coordinate efforts to protect the professional interests of dental care experts in Russia. The RDA brings together 73 regional associations and 28 specialist groups.
One of the RDA’s key priorities is representing the interests of dentists to the public and government in discussions on legislative measures, in order to ensure highly professional dental care and provide dentists with opportunities for professional and creative development.
