‘Cavity Free Sri Lanka’ enters Guinness Records:
Oral gratification
The Signal Guinness World Record for the most number of dental
screenings conducted at one location, during a single day, was
achieved with the participation of enthusiastic schoolchildren from
many schools in Kandy.
By Carol Aloysius
A decade of promoting Lankan Smiles in its Sina Bo Wewa campaign
launched in 2005, paid rich dividends for Uni Levers Sri Lanka when it
notched up another record in the Guinness Book of World Records, on
Friday, March 20.
The campaign previously made a mark in the Guinness Book of World
Records for holding the largest photographic exhibition of 100,000 Sri
Lankan smiles in 2004. It also went on to win the Brain Icon Award in
2005.
Its latest record was for conducting the highest number of dental
screenings in one location, as part of its campaign to mobilize national
effort to work towards a ‘Cavity Free Sri Lanka’. A total of 9334
persons, mainly school children were screened at Gatembe, Kandy.
The dental screenings were done with the assistance of the Sri Lanka
Dental Association and the Dental Faculty of the University of
Peradeniya.
“Without their tremendous contribution it would not have been
possible to achieve such results,” said Wathsala Aluthgedera, Category
Head – Oral Care, at Unilever Sri Lanka. She further added, “It was a
momentous occasion for everyone involved in this endeavor to be a part
of such a significant achievement. Signal has been at the forefront of
many a milestone in oral care in Sri Lanka over the past 56 years and
this is yet another key achievement for Sri Lanka and for Signal.”
A delighted and thrilled Brand manager who spearheaded the campaign
Channa Tennekoon told the Sunday Observer, “The previous record was held
by Mumbai where 5,100 people were screened in one day. The fact that we
were able to nearly double that record makes us extremely proud and
happy.”
Paying tribute to all those who helped in the campaign, he said they
had to conduct this campaign in addition to helping the Ministry of
Health and Sri Lankan Dental Association with various programmes
promoting oral hygiene, as it was World Oral Health Day on March 20 .
“Winning this award has inspired us to continue this campaign in the
future, using Signal as our iconic brand. We will also continue our
Night Brushing campaign which is part of this programme, with special
focus on school children in rural areas, as it has brought some very
positive results,” he said.
The Signal Guinness World Record for the most number of dental
screenings conducted at one location, during a single day, was achieved
with the participation of enthusiastic schoolchildren from many schools
in Kandy.
For the children, it was a historic occasion to be actively involved
in the setting of a world record. It was also an opportunity for them to
be inculcated into the good habits of regular oral health.
“Signal is pleased to mark this significant achievement as a historic
event; one of our core objectives is to get our communities involved in
working towards a Cavity Free Sri Lanka” said Siddharth Banerjee,
Country Marketing Director, Unilever Sri Lanka. “This year we are
focusing on
‘Brush Day & Night’ as our global oral health campaign.
The campaign is based on getting the children actively involved in
brushing teeth while also encouraging the entire family to do so”, he
added.
Generating awareness of sound oral care has formed the cornerstone of
Signal’s campaign, explained Banerjee.
The brand has been closely associated with many dental projects and
initiatives undertaken with the objective of bringing oral care to
communities throughout the country. “Our goal is ensuring a Cavity Free
Sri Lanka and our mission is to rally the country towards that sigular
goal though multiple approaches that mark good oral health,” he added.
The event was attended by officials from the Dental Services Unit of
the Ministry of Health, Dental Faculty of the University of Peradeniya
and Sri Lanka Dental Association officials.
Also present at the occasion were officials from the Guinness Book of
World Records and employees from Unilever Sri Lanka. |