GAP Australasian Dentist Mar Apr 2020

20 20 Environmental issues are a common challenge faced all over theworld. For decadesNSKhas had strong environmental and charitable policies inplace. Thewater used at NSK’s factory is thoroughly cleaned in ourwater purifying facility, then the recycledwater is left to settle in a koi filledpond before being released into the local river system. We alsoworkwith not-for-profit organisations and charities to improve the dental health inpoorer countries. In 2006, in conjunctionwithA-DEC, NSK supplied a number of handpieces andother dental equipment to theCMS (Church Missionary Society) based in theDemocraticRepublic of Congo. NSK is proud to support Smiles For ThePacific (SFTP)with the aimof training, possibly providing free lectures orworkshops, upskilling andmentoring Fijian health professionals tomeet complex dental needs in underserviced northwest region of Fiji. Then in 2019we launchedour ‘GoingGreen’ campaign. Its aimwas to remove non-performingdental handpieces fromendingup in landfill and recycle themwhere possible. In addition, NSK’s TechService has implemented re-usable handpiece repair packaging, thus removing single-use packaging, reducing transportation aswell as landfill. As a result of NSK’s ‘GoingGreen campaign’ we have donated refurbishedhandpieces todeserving institutions. So far, we donated to various Polynesian Islanddental hospitals, including Fiji and theSolomon Islands. Plus, we’ve recently exchanged the originally donatedhandpieces toGraham andWendy Toulmin of theCMS in theCongowith newstyle refurbishedhandpieces. NSK is doing its part tomake our planet (and teeth) healthier. Congratulations to theSustainability ProgramAwardnominees. Finalists for this AustralianDental IndustryAwards categorywill be announcedon 10December 2019.Winnerswill be revealed at the 2020AustralianDental IndustryAwardsDinner on 14March 2020. NSKOCEANIA - SUSTAINABILITYPROGRAM AWARDNOMINEE Going green changes lives from the Pacific to the Congo A B C Captions: A/ Phil Fitzgibbon MD NSK Oceania with members of SFTP (Smiles for the Pacific) team. B/ Phil Fitzgibbon with two members of Solomon Island Oral Health Clinic. C/ Graham Toulmin from CMS works with a refurbished NSK handpiece on a young patient in Africa.