We continuously support research into the relationship between oral health and overall health, and we strive to promote oral health awareness by utilizing the evidence gained.
The Sunstar Group has been raising awareness on the connection between oral and general health for over 30 years. Today, we continue to team up with experts in medical and dental fields to promote research and raise awareness on a global scale.
We are working to raise awareness of the prevention of oral frailty, the deterioration of the mouth’s function that accelerates overall frailty. The Sunstar Foundation dispatches dental hygienists to give lectures at seminars and works with the Japan Dental Association to hold lectures for the public. We offer a free smartphone app that allows users to check their oral health status and training. We also offer products that address “dry mouth,” one of the checkpoints for oral frailty. Through these efforts, we have raised awareness of the importance of maintaining a functional mouth for extending healthy life expectancy.
The Sunstar Foundation supports the advancement of periodontal research, acknowledging and recognizing pioneering research by associations in Japan, the U.S., and Europe. These awards include the World Perio Research Awards, co-sponsored by the European Federation of Periodontology, the Perio Link Award, the Japanese Society of Periodontology Awards, the American Academy of Periodontology Sunstar Innovation Grant.
Sunstar has long supported the Asian Pacific Society of Periodontology (APSP) by organizing seminars introducing outstanding research in periodontal disease treatment and hosting networking events for participants. As a Diamond Sponsor, Sunstar also supported the 15th APSP Congress held in Vietnam in 2024.
Since the 1990s, Sunstar has been holding international symposia regarding the connection between periodontal disease and diabetes. Since 2008, we have been collaborating with Joslin Diabetes Center, which is affiliated with Harvard University, in holding a total of 21 international symposia around the world, attended by over 7,400 medical and dental professionals. Furthermore, we are striving to develop researchers investigating the relationship between oral and general health. We have dispatched 18 young medical and dental researchers to the Joslin Diabetes Center and other organizations through the Hiroo Kaneda Research Grant. Sunstar group companies are also holding a variety of events in countries around the world to raise awareness among dentists, physicians, diabetes patients, and others of the link between periodontal disease and diabetes.
At Sunstar, we collaborate with the FDI World Dental Federation to drive progress in sustainable dentistry and environmentally responsible oral healthcare worldwide. Together, we support initiatives such as the Consensus Statement on Sustainability in Dentistry, the Pledge for Sustainability, and a range of practical tools.
These resources—including infographics, toolkits, and educational materials—equip dental professionals and patients to adopt more sustainable practices. By backing these initiatives, we help expand their reach and promote a more sustainable future for the global dental community.
The Sunstar Group presents awards to dental hygienists in recognition of their exceptional achievements. The Sunstar Foundation sponsors the Sunstar World Dental Hygienist Awards presented at the International Symposium on Dental Hygiene (ISDH). The Sunstar Foundation and the European Dental Hygienist Federation jointly established an Award of Distinction program for dental hygienists in Europe in 2024 and will continue in 2025. Sunstar Americas and RDH magazine jointly present the Sunstar GUM/RDH Award of Distinction in North America every year since 2002. In some Asian countries, in which dental hygienist is not a specific profession, we provide lectures of the duties and techniques of Japanese dental hygienists to nurses and students that provide dental care in medical facilities.
The Sunstar Foundation supports the World Health Organization (WHO) in its efforts to collect and analyze survey data on the oral health status of countries and formulate policies for dental health measures. In addition, the Sunstar Group has continued to donate toothbrushes to developing countries in cooperation with the WHO since 2002. The total number of toothbrushes donated to each developing country through our activities to date is more than 1 million. The photo shows an example of 25,000 toothbrushes donated to the Republic of Palau in 2018, which were used to teach brushing to elementary school students.
In 2023 we participated in an oral health awareness campaign in the Republic of Palau. We have donated around 120,000 toothbrushes that will be distributed along with dental care instruction to all elementary schools in Palau, and we will also help evaluate the outcome of this campaign and the efficiency of maintaining a consistent oral care routine.
In July 2024, Sunstar Colombia hosted an oral health day for 150 children from low-income communities. The event featured fun, educational activities on brushing techniques and oral hygiene, using GUM products. Small prizes encouraged participation, and the initiative highlighted Sunstar’s dedication to health and education in underserved areas.
Following a major disaster, water shortages make it difficult for people to brush their teeth and people’s oral hygiene tends to worsen. Oral care during evacuation has become a significant concern. Many Sunstar employees were affected by the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995. Drawing on this experience following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and onward, we have been raising awareness on the importance of oral care during times of disaster, and have provided oral care products as relief supplies, including toothbrushes and liquid toothpaste that can be used without water. In the aftermath of the Kumamoto earthquakes in 2016, Sunstar provided relief supplies and also created and distributed posters for display at evacuation sites containing tips on proper oral care. These posters continue to be used at evacuation sites during emergencies. In addition, we have developed “GUM Dental Rinse for Long-term Storage,” a liquid-type toothpaste with a shelf life of five years, which is being chosen by local governments and companies for emergency supplies in disasters.
Lately, there are various options of evacuation, including evacuating at home. We have updated our family emergency kit and food lists on our website to help people prepare according to their evacuation options.
We will continue raising awareness about the importance of oral care during disasters through initiatives such as the Yamanashi Prefecture Public Lecture Series, the Gunma Prefecture Disaster Prevention Seminar hosted by the Medical Disaster Prevention Industry Creation Council, “Kobe Disaster Prevention Gathering” marking the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, various academic conferences and disaster prevention events nationwide in Japan.
