Smile Shield has a see-through panel to aid communication and is one of the only facemasks of its kind to offer IIR grade medical protection, including over 98% bacterial filtration efficiency, breathability, is splash proof and hypoallergenic.[i]
Smile Shield is a British invention, created by two founders Jennifer Soboslay and Lisa Qiao, who also own TAD medical, which is known for its range of established medical supplies including masks, shields, PPE clothing, gloves and sanitising and cleaning equipment, used by hospitals, educational facilities, the emergency Services, and customer facing services. Jennifer and Lisa, believe that these masks will benefit certain industries including those where the human connection is needed to be clear and communication is important. The Smile Shield allows lip reading, visible facial expressions, and clearer understanding and connection between people to take place.
Jennifer Soboslay, Founder and Sales Director, at Smile Shield says: “We tried many different types of designs including a fully clear panel, but this wouldn’t have had the other attributes we deemed important, such as over 98% bacterial efficiency and breathability. The masks are also splash proof and hypoallergenic. These are all important aspects needed by those working for medical facilities and emergency services such as the police. Schools are another sector we are looking at, as the mask would offer the highest protection available for teachers and the ability for them to communicate with their students in a way, we believe, no other mask on the market does at present.”
The Smile Shield™ is a Type IIR surgical mask with a clear front panel which makes the mouth visible to facilitate clear communication for those caring for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, have a learning disability, or suffer with autism or dementia for example.
Jennifer Soboslay, adds: “We saw a gap in the market for a medical grade mask with a clear panel, that can be used by the emergency Services, healthcare providers, especially those working for charities where communication and connections are key, such as The Disabilities Trust.”
Allan Darby, Health & Safety Manager at The Disabilities Trust, comments: “The pandemic has been a challenge for us, as we offer a range of individually tailored support services, aimed at helping people live their lives as independently as possible. It is extremely important in our line of work that the people we help can see our facial expressions Therefore, we feel the Smile Shield helps the people we support to engage with our staff. We are implementing the use of these medical grade masks with a clear panel for our staff members and those that we care for.”
Allan continues: “Take Autism as an example, this is a complex disability, and no two people have the same needs. Our detailed assessment procedure is designed by experts to determine the level of support needed by each individual. We are committed to finding new ways of understanding the views of those who have communication difficulties and tailor our communication methods to best meet the needs of that person, this is where clear communication and building a connection is key.”
