title: Evaluation of international case studies within 'Live.Learn.Laugh.': a unique global public-private partnership to promote oral health.
abstract: The partnership between the Féderation Dentaire International (FDI), and Unilever Oral Care, aims to raise awareness of oral health globally; to enable FDI member associations to promote oral health; and to increase the visibility of the FDI and authority of Unilever oral care brands worldwide. Country Projects between National Dental Associations (NDAs), the member associations of FDI, and Unilever Oral Care local companies have been established as a key strand of the partnership.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper reports on the evaluation of an in-depth sample of Country Projects (n=5) to determine their potential to impact on oral health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five country sites were selected as being indicative of different programme delivery types. Each site received a two-day visit during Spring-Summer 2009, which enabled the evaluators to audit what was delivered in practice compared with the original written project briefs and to undertake interviews of study site staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  39 projects in 36 countries have been initiated. In those examined by site visits, clear evidence was found of capacity building to deliver oral health. In some countries, widespread population reach had been prioritised. Effectiveness of partnership working varied depending on the strength of the relationship between the NDA and local Unilever Oral Care representatives and alignment with national marketing strategy. The quality of internal evaluation varied considerably.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over a million people had been reached directly by Country Projects and this public-private partnership has made a successful start. To move towards improving oral health rather than only awareness raising; future Country Projects would benefit from being limited to certain evidence-based intervention designs, and using an agreed core indicator set in order to allow cross-country comparison of intervention outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Social Justice Research, College of Health and Social Care, University of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, UK. L.Dugdill@salford.ac.uk
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dugdill
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pine
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D004345:Drug Industry; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007391:International Cooperation; D007630:Kenya; D009909:Oral Health; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D010679:Philippines; D011044:Poland; D015397:Program Evaluation; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D012953:Societies, Dental; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data