Good People
Good People
We take social responsibility by educating about prevention and oral health. The well-being and worklife balance of our employees is fundamental.
Health and education
In a discussion with Sanjay Haryana, dentist and part of the Clinical and education team at TePe, we dive into TePe's educational initiatives, the commitment to promoting health and well-being, and the connection to sustainability.
TePe recognises the fundamental link between prevention, overall well-being and quality of life. According to Sanjay, TePe’s commitment to prevention has been integrated in the company since its foundation. That’s why we allocate substantial resources to oral health education efforts, often collaborating with stakeholders such as universities and dental professionals to provide guidance on topics like mechanical plaque control and best practices for oral hygiene.
The collaboration with the dental community was founded when the first wooden toothpick was developed. Our focus has been on producing userfriendly products, and with the long-term positive impact on people’s oral health in mind.
"TePe recognises the fundamental link between prevention, overall well-being, and quality of life."
There are different levels of awareness globally.
– In some parts of the world, there is high oral health awareness among dental professionals, which is reflected in a positive attitude towards preventive dentistry. In other regions with low awareness, the focus is on addressing immediate dental concerns, often emergency dental care with minimal or no preventive interventions, maintaining a vicious cycle of a drill-and-fill attitude, Sanjay points out.
As a company, we must constantly adapt to address these differences in awareness. TePe actively strives to increase awareness of the importance of preventive care. To address awareness on a global level, TePe is deeply committed to education. We educate dental students with a focus on prevention, aiming to build their confidence, technical skills, equip them with effective tools for future patient interactions, and recognise the need for flexibility Sanjay highlights.
Over the years, scientific evidence supporting the connection between oral and general health has grown significantly.
– Part of our job is to highlight the link between oral and general health and sharing research that confirms that preventive measures can play a part in
maintaining health, Sanjay explains.
– TePe’s commitment to preventive dental care is rooted in its Swedish origin, Sanjay says. Our efforts to promote prevention have been significantly shaped by the Swedish attitude towards prevention and public health.
Sweden led the way in preventive dental care with initiatives like the Public Dental Service (Folktandvården), established in 1938 as part of the national public health strategy. Early adoption of dental insurance, along with initiatives like “Saturday sweets” and the fluoride rinse in schools, further demonstrate Sweden’s dedication to public health.
Working with dental prevention is essential for maintaining oral health, preventing oral diseases, and improving overall well-being. By promoting preventive measures, we can reduce the need for costly and invasive treatments, enhance quality of life and contribute to positive health outcomes.
– Without prevention, people may face issues like tooth loss, difficulty speaking, chewing, and even smiling, Sanjay says.
– There exists a distinct correlation between education, prevention, and sustainability, Sanjay says.
Sustainability in dentistry serves two primary objectives: enhancing quality of life and minimising emissions from dental treatment. TePe played an important role in shaping a global consensus on sustainable oral healthcare together with leading companies across the oral healthcare sector*. The conclusion of the consensus was that preventive dentistry and high-quality dental care are essential for minimising the environmental footprint of the dental industry. It has been shown that prevention reduces dental treatments, thereby affecting
energy consumption, material usage, waste and transportation to and from the dental clinic.
Good leadership
A talk with TePe’s Team & Leadership Development Manager. Our code of conduct and values are the foundations for our work together. Living up to our code of conduct and acting with integrity towards all our stakeholders must be supported by a sound culture and competent leadership. Therefore, all managers at TePe in Sweden take part in training with an emphasis on situational leadership.
"We want to provide our leaders with tools and preconditions to feel comfortable in their role. In a growing company, leadership and culture is an ongoing work that evolves with the organisation", says Charlotte Lundgren.
"One very important goal, or maybe from my perspective the only goal for a manager, is to develop their team. Managers have a big impact on the culture, and being aware of that and having selfawareness in general is crucial to develop the culture and the teamwork we see as sustainable.
It is vital to implement TePe’s cultural intelligence, view of leadership and teamwork across borders. Thus, the HR function in Malmö works closely with the subsidiaries in Europe, the USA and Australia. "It’s important to be humble and understanding of cultural differences, but we also need to go beyond that and build on the fact that we are all people with the same basic needs. That's when leadership becomes truly powerful across cultures", Charlotte explains.
Good leadership involves both heart and mind. Charlotte and her colleagues in HR emphasise both skills development and discussing the company values – respect, dedication, responsibility and cost-efficiency – as key factors.
"Meeting the eye and saying hi to our colleagues is an easy way to show respect, and dedication is not silent, it shines through in discussions and through voicing opinions. Respect is also about being broadminded to each other’s differences in personality, knowledge and experiences. Guided by good people and good leadership, we will succeed in collaborating and exchanging knowledge company-wide. That’s long-term sustainability to me", Charlotte concludes.
"Guided by good people and good leadership, we will succeed in collaborating and exchanging knowledge company-wide. That’s long-term sustainability to me"
Partnerships
Strategic partnerships and collaborations are essential to drive sustainable development. In line with goal 17, Partnershiop for the goals, we work together with other stakeholders to learn, drive change and contribute with our knowledge. Our partnerships and collaborations focus on sustainable development, health, research, and innovation.
One example is the STEPS research programme, whose vision is a society where plastics are sustainably produced, used and recycled in a circular economy.
We also cooperate with academia and the dental and health profession worldwide to raise awareness of health and sustainability issues. One such collaboration is our long-standing participation in the ISO Dental Care committee, which contributes with 2 standards to UN SDGs 3 and 9.
Furthermore, we are partners with Swedish Society of Periodontology and Implantology (SSPI, Svensk Förening för Parodontologi och Implantologi) to promote preventive dental practices.
The establishment of a dental clinic with the development project Kenswed Dental Project, began in 2020 by Zelmerlöw & Björkman Foundation, Global Relations and the Kenswed Organisation in Kenya in a partnership with TePe.
Through our educational efforts, we support professional development for dental care and pharmacy staff. Collaborations also include dental hygienist and dental student associations in our subsidiary markets. Local initiatives are frequently actioned by TePe's subsidiaries, distributors, and collaboration partners in different parts of the world.
TePe continuously endorses and promotes the work of the Eklund Foundation, which was established in 2015 by TePe's owner family to support research and education in the dental field all over the world. Grants are distributed annually.
