An advanced Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) machine was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Tygerberg Hospital on Thursday.

The machine offers advanced technological dental imaging in terms of diagnosis and accuracy of dental treatment according to Professor Veerasamy Yengopal, a Dean of Dentistry at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

“The patients will benefit because the diagnostic capabilities for diagnosing lesions will be enhanced now because of this expensive piece of equipment that has been sponsored,” he said.

The hospital and UWC received the machine, which is also known as Green X 18, as part of their partnership with two private companies.

Professor Yengopal said some of the benefits of the partnership would be training and workshops, among others, that their respective staff members will get from expertise of the university.

He further said that the hospital allowed the university to train their students in the building inside the hospital and that their students would, in turn, provide their skills to the patients of the hospital.

“So when patients come for treatment here, they are seen by UWC students who work under supervision. And those students are linked to the university and the patients are linked to the province (provincial Department of Health and Wellness). So that's the relationship,” he said.

A managing director of one of the sponsors, Franc Jang, said: "The Green X unit chosen is an unrivalled technological phenomenon that will catapult the university's commitment to first-class healthcare, empowering students, lecturers, and the Tygerberg Oral Health Centre radiology team.”

Provincial MEC for Health, Nomafrench Mbombo and Dr Keith Cloete, head of the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, expressed gratitude to the sponsors.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Tygerberg Hospital on Thursday. From left are, private company representative, Eric Chang; Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo; UWC Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius; private company representative Franc Jang and UWC Dean of Dentistry, Professor Veerasamy Yengopal.

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Dental care machine unveiled at Tygerberg Hospital