IDA and Colgate conduct Free Dental Check-Ups

Company Brief

Mumbai, October 17, 2008

To mark Oral Health Month (OHM) 2008 this October, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. and the Indian Dental Association (IDA) organised a free dental check-up for Pratham children, the community based grass root organization that promotes education of underprivileged children in an OHM Mobile Dental Van. Bollywood actress Prachi Desai flagged-off the OHM Mobile Dental Vans in the city today and spent time with the Pratham children, explaining the importance of good oral hygiene as they had their check-ups in one of the OHM Mobile Dental Vans.

OHM is the month-long oral health awareness campaign that focuses on the importance of good oral hygiene habits for all ages. Initiated in 2004, by Colgate and IDA, OHM has become a leading campaign towards spreading the importance of good oral care among the masses in India. This year Colgate has introduced 20 Mobile Dental Vans to reach out to the underprivileged areas in New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Bangalore.

The event, organized by Colgate and IDA, used one of the OHM Mobile Dental Vans equipped with dental equipment to conduct the free dental check-ups for Pratham children. These vans will work in the underprivileged areas of the city where people have limited access to dental care, to create awareness for good oral health care habits. The awareness levels of good oral hygiene habits continue to remain abysmally low in these areas. The dentists in the OHM Mobile Dental Vans not only conduct the check-ups, but also encourage and educate children and their parents on good oral hygiene practices.

In addition to the dental check-ups in mobile dental vans, free public dental check-ups are also being conducted in dental clinics all through October. Those interested in availing the free dental check-ups can call the toll free OHM helpline 1800-22-55-99 or SMS their postal pin code to 5676725 for information on a dentist in their neighbourhood. The dentist details are provided as a reply to the SMS. They then need to make a call to the dentist for an appointment, and schedule their free dental check-up. A specially designed ‘Spread – a – Smile’ voucher is to be provided by the dentist to encourage friends and family of the consumer to also avail of the free dental check-up.

For further information, please contact:

R&PM: Edelman

Bhavna Jagtiani

Mobile: 98205 13970

Email: bhavna.jagtiani@edelman.com