Mumbai, 08 April 2026: On the occasion of World Health Day, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited has launched an initiative aimed at making preventive dental care more accessible across India by offering free dental check-ups. This effort builds upon the success of the Oral Health Movement in 2024-25, which facilitated over 4.5 million dental screenings nationwide.
Statistics indicate that 9/10 Indians suffer from Oral Health issues. Factors contributing to this include shifts in consumption habits, such as increased intake of sweets and processed foods. Compounding the issue are findings that 80% of urban Indians do not brush at night, and half of the rural population does not brush daily. Furthermore, while experts recommend a dentist visit every six months, only 9% of Indians visit a dentist annually.
Bridging the Gap in Dental Access
To address the gap in dental care, Colgate has partnered with the Indian Dental Association (IDA) and onboarded 63,000 Dentists. This network leverages one of India's largest consumer touchpoints: the Colgate toothpaste pack. Consumers can scan the QR code on any Colgate Toothpaste pack to complete a brief assessment and receive a personalized Dental Screening Report. The platform then offers options for a free consultation with participating dentists in the user's pin code.A significant challenge highlighted is the limited dentist availability in rural areas, where the dentist to patient ratio is one of the poorest at 1:250,000. This necessitates that an average person in village areas may have to travel between 50 to 150 Kms to see a dentist.
To mitigate the barrier of physical distance, Colgate has integrated a Virtual Consultation option through a tie-up with Bajaj Health, ensuring that geographical distance does not prevent access to dental care.
Gunjit Jain, Executive Vice President, Marketing at Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, stated, "To aid the shift from 'reactive repair' to 'proactive care', we're removing all friction by offering free dental checkups to every Indian. Just scan the QR code on any of our Colgate Toothpaste packs, avail a free dental screening report and a free dental consultation with a dentist. What makes this service a game-changer is its massive reach. People can either opt for a physical consultation with any one of our 63k partner dentists, or choose a virtual consultation, making this an oral health program with unprecedented universal impact."
Dr. Ashok Dhoble, Hon. Secretary General of IDA, remarked, "Providing free Dentist access at such a massive scale, across India, is a powerful catalyst for change. IDA is proud to partner with Colgate in this first-of-its-kind initiative to improve Oral Health across the length and breadth of our country by bridging this access gap."
The Oral Health Movement aims to enhance the accessibility of dental professionals by combining technology, everyday touchpoints, and expert guidance, driving a long-term shift toward early diagnosis and better oral health for all.
COLPAL Stock Price Movement
Shares of Colgate Palmolive (India) Limited are edging higher to ₹1903.5 as of 12:40 PM today, rallying 2.87% on the day. The stock sees considerable trading activity, supported by a volume of 230,789 shares traded so far.Source:
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