A modern dental imaging center opened in Soldanesti, with EU support

This business belongs to a graduate of the Medical University and was launched with the EU assistance in the framework of the Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by the UNDP.

Ana Furdui, the owner of the center, was an employee at a public hospital at the moment she learnt about the grant scheme for the young people from both banks of the Nistru. Ana has dreamed to launch her own business since she was a student, therefore she did not hesitate to apply. She went through several stages of the competition, attended numerous trainings and consultations, and at last, she was awarded a grant to implement her business plan, which took her some weeks and zealous effort to develop.

With the grant of over 10,000 Euro, she bought an orthopantomograph – equipment for dental diagnostics, which helps specialists to obtain a panoramic scan of all teeth.

This is a brand-new equipment of the last generation, delivered from France. Being confident in the success of her business, Ana also got a bank loan, as one condition of the grant scheme was her own financial contribution.  She used the credit to repair the medical center and purchase other necessary equipment. Her family supported her through this start-up, and she also received guidance from a consultant of the project.

Ana Furdui’s Center shares the premises with the Soldanesti dental clinic. Trying to promote her business, she contacted all specialists of the region and explained them every advantage offered by her modern equipment. Now she is known by everyone and is strongly recommended to the patients. Moreover, Ana Furdui’s business has boosted the development of dental care in Soldanesti. After this center was launched, one of the local doctors started offering a new service, installing dental implants.

Ana’s clients come not only from Soldanesti and Rezina, but also from Camenca, Ribnita and other localities from the left bank of the Nistru. “There are obvious advantages: people can now save time and money as they do not need to go as far as to Chisinau to have their teeth scanned, and they are also relieved from being examined with the old Roentgen equipment with their higher radiation,” says the young entrepreneur.

Over 2,000 patients have already visited this center since it was opened, some of them coming here repeatedly. Children enjoy its services at half price.

“I have cut the costs for the small patients because it is inadmissible to expose them to higher radiation if they are examined with old equipment. Children are very active, cannot sit still, and as it often happens, it takes you 2-3 attempts before you manage to scan their teeth. If this were to be repeated with old equipment, their exposure to radiation, as high as it is, would increase several times,” explains Ana.

Ana’s passion for technologies since she was a little girl made her specialize in medical imagining. Having graduated from school, she applied to both the Technical University and the University of Medicine, to “Medical Imagery and Radiology” speciality. And because she was awarded a free tuition (i.e. paid by the government) at both institutions, she had to make a difficult choice. She chose medicine, and after graduation she worked in many public and private medical institutions. She believes she would work for a salary of a young doctor (a very modest one, indeed) even today, if she did not accept the opportunity offered by the European Union.

Because her business is running very well, the young entrepreneur now intends to expand it. She plans to buy a modern ultrasonography device, which will enable her center to offer a wider range of services, given that her background allows her operating any medical diagnostic equipment.

Ana Furdui is one of over 70 young people from both banks of the Nistru River who were awarded European grants in the amount of up to EUR 13,500 to start up or develop their businesses. Moreover, they also benefited of personal consultants’ services for 14 months, who helped them manage their businesses in the most efficient way.