Signal Oral Health Service
The Signal Oral Health Service (SOHS) has been active in Sri Lanka since 1982 and has been an integral part of Signal’s mission to promoting good oral health awareness.
Since its launch in 1982, The Signal Oral Health Service has been inculcating the importance of good oral habits in pre-school and primary school children through activities such as providing free dental check-ups and distributing samples of toothpaste and toothbrushes as well as educational leaflets and posters, and by conducting large scale community-based oral health camps. To date, Signal has reached over three million children with its message of how brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste can play a significant role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease.
Supporting Dental Hygiene
Signal also supports dental research and has sponsored several International Dental Congresses held in Sri Lanka. A successful lobbying effort initiated by Unilever Sri Lanka and carried through by the Sri Lanka Dental Association (SLDA) resulted in the Ministry of Health declaring 31st October each year as National Oral Health Day.
Sri Lanka’s toothpaste penetration level is 90%, higher than its neighbouring countries, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, while the per capita consumption of toothpaste, an indicator of the number of people who brush their teeth, is double that of its neighbours.
‘Sina Bo Wewa’
The warmth of the Sri Lankan smile catches the imagination of any visitor to our shore and has given Sri Lanka the image of being one of the friendliest nations in the world. This inspired Signal to launch Signal Sina Bo Wewa (which can be loosely translated as ‘Spread the Signal Smile’) in 2005. As part of this programme, a Signal Smile truck travelled the length and breadth of the country photographing 100,000 enchanting smiles, while spreading the message of oral hygiene. This effort incidentally won a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the highest number of photographs under a single theme. The campaign was also highly commended by Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, for its dazzling portrayal of Sri Lanka’s warmth and hospitality. The Sina Bo Wewa campaign continues to this day.
