WizWe and NTT West Japan Launch Innovative Dental Care Initiative in Naha City
Establishing Dental Health Habits: A Collaborative Initiative in Naha City
WizWe, a forward-thinking company led by CEO Kohei Moriya, has joined forces with NTT West Japan, under President Ryota Kitamura, and Naha City, headed by Mayor Satoru Chinen, to address pressing health issues in Okinawa. Their initiative, titled “Supporting Dental Health Habits—Brushing is Not Just About Teeth, It’s About Building Trust and Future Health for Families,” has received acceptance from the Okinawa Prefecture Health and Medical Welfare Foundation for its 2024 grant program designed to support solutions for health-related challenges.
This project aims to improve the high rate of dental caries among children in Okinawa by promoting a daily brushing habit within families. Targeting parents and preschool children in Naha City, the initiative will employ behavioral science to encourage a fun and natural approach to daily tooth brushing. The goal is not only to reduce the incidence of cavities and increase check-up rates but also to instill a “brushing culture” within households, thereby contributing to the long-term health of the community in Okinawa.
The genesis of this collaboration traces back to an event held at QUINTBRIDGE, NTT West's open innovation facility, on August 2, 2024. This gathering focused on tackling unique healthcare challenges in Okinawa and facilitated meaningful discussions that illuminated the issues at hand and sparked ideas for this initiative.
Overview of the Initiative
- - Target Audience: Parents and preschool children (30-80 families) residing in Naha City.
- - Objective: Establishing healthy dental habits.
- - Key Activities:
- Dental Check-up Reminders: Sending reminders about upcoming dental appointments and providing necessary preparations through the chat service (e.g., displaying pre-appointment instructions).
- - Expected Benefits:
- Mastery of tooth brushing techniques and knowledge related to dental care.
- Establishing a routine for parents to help their children brush their teeth.
- Encouraging parents to visit dentists regularly for cleanings and check-ups.
- Instilling brushing habits in children.
- Fostering consistent dental visits for children.
Roles of Partner Organizations
| Organization | Primary Roles |
|---|---|
| ----- | ---- |
| WizWe | Chat support design, operation, documentation and reporting. |
| Naha City | Oral health knowledge and advice, outreach and facility provision for participants from the Naha City Public Health Center. |
| NTT West Japan | Event planning, production, collaboration towards social implementation, and utilizing QUINTBRIDGE for project development. |
Future Prospects
Armed with insights gained from this initiative, the partners plan to create a sustainable support model that can be embraced easily by municipalities. By using the project in Naha City as a successful case study, they aim to develop a versatile package that can be implemented in other towns and cities throughout Okinawa, fostering a broad impact across the entire prefecture.
For more information about the grant and project, please check the following links:
1. Health Challenge Solutions Subsidy
2. QUINTBRIDGE Facility
3. Event Details
Topics Health）
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