Signal sponsors the GCC Public Dental Health Conference

To support the drive, Signal has committed to fund dental conferences for dental professionals committed to public health.

UAE Dental Section and Signal signed the agreement that began the programme in the Emirates. Present at the signing was Doctor Aisha Sultan, President of the UAE Dental Section (EMA), Unilever marketing director Ian Potter and the Signal team Khalid Shakshiri, brand manager and Nada Almarhoon, professional dental networking manager GCC at Unilever Arabia.

Ambitious schemes to promote dental health are not new for Signal. Over the past 14 years, Signal has reached more than 5 million students in the Gulf region through its educational and promotion programmes. In 2005 alone, and in association with the Saudi Dental Society, Signal launched the National Dental Hygiene Campaign which saw 72,000 people receive free dental checkups in addition to sponsoring many seminars, meetings and think tanks for professional bodies.

"The brand is very much here to stay and as well as having been extremely supportive of the dental community," said Khalid Al-Shakhshir "We want to build a long term enduring relationship with both dental professionals and their patients."

One of the key aims of the global partnership is to prevent oral health ailments occurring. Poor oral health causes pain, suffering and sometimes death, as well as difficulty in speaking, chewing, swallowing and maintaining a nutritious diet.

Signal will also become the main sponsor of a new gathering of dental experts - the Gulf Scientific Dental Conference - for an initial period of six years from 2006 to 2011. To be held yearly at different venues in the GCC, it aims to attract over a thousand dentists and hygienists and possibly develop into the Gulf Dental Association.

"We are delighted that this sponsorship has the endorsement of all the presidents of the Gulf Dental Associations," said Nada Al-Marhoon from Signal, "and we look forward to working with all the experts in the Gulf dental community, to bring about positive change in oral health".

The proposed conference circuit and the link up between Signal and the FDI was warmly received by Professor Sultan. He felt the new initiative aligned perfectly with the aims of the Emirates Medical Association (EMA).

"The Emirates Medical Association (EMA) seeks to achieve many objectives through its activities," said Professor Sultan. "Our primary aims are to upgrade the dental medicine service level in the UAE."

He felt the initiative supported the aims of the Emirates Medical Association (EMA) which were to promote scientific research in the various dental medicine areas, to upgrade the scientific and practical efficiency of the dentist, to collaborate between workers in the local, Arab and International level and to spread awareness and concern to maintain oral health care in the community.

"This will be a tremendous opportunity to share knowledge and promote oral health with all its benefits in the UAE."