Evan Garcia, a student at Fort Sam Houston Elementary school, shows off his pearly whites to Capt. Kurt Goodell, Budge Dental Clinic, Fort Sam Houston,
Texas, during an examination at a dental fair held at the school. Each child at the school receive...
Approximately 800 students in grades pre-k to fifth grade attending Fort Sam Houston Elementary School learned how to brush, floss, and eat well-balanced meals to keep their teeth in good condition during a dental fair held at the school in recognition of February's National Children's Dental Health Month.
Sponsored by the Dental Activity, Budge Dental Clinic, and with support by the Department of Dental Science, Preventive Dentistry Department, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School (AMEDDC&S), the children switched between four stations to learn about oral hygiene.
In one station the students lined up to receive a visual dental health screening by Budge Dental Clinic staff, Capt. Kurt Goodell, Dr. Taheia Turner, and Torri Espinoza-Logan. The screening does not take place of a regular check-up since no x-rays were taken, nor any instruments were used.
Goodell, a dentist for two years said, "The kids are excited to show us their wiggly teeth and they talk about getting money from the tooth fairy. This is a good program and the kids are having some fun. We are creating awareness for oral health and hopefully provide some feedback to the parents."
If the staff observes something unusual with a child's teeth, then a form is sent to the parents recommending the child be seen by a dentist for a thorough checkup, or if a child had an excessive amount of plaque on their teeth, encourage the parents to monitor toothbrush skills.
Overall Goodell said he is impressed with the oral health of the kids. In another station, the students
learned how to brush and floss. Using an oversized toothbrush and dentures, students Specs. Kristyn Ollison and Sara Newton, attending the Preventive Dentistry Course at AMEDDC&S, demonstrated the proper technique to brush and floss each day and encouraged the students to do so after meals and before bedtime.
Petty Officer Oscar Carrera, dental assistant, Michele Cerda, registered dental hygienist, and Pfc. Sarah Sierra, Spc. Billy Kinnaman, Sharol Ramirez, registered dental hygienist with Budge Dental Clinic, talked about reducing sweets and sodas, how often to change a tooth brush, and what foods keep their teeth clean. The children were also told how important it is to brush before bedtime to get the bugs out of their mouth.
Norma Espinoza, who recently retired from AMEDDC&S, Department of Dental Science, has been part of the program for more than twenty years.
"We have been supporting this program for more than 20 years. We have a skit and talk about good foods, bad foods, brushing, flossing, and going to the dentist."
Dressed as the tooth fairy, student Sgt. Elizabeth Ibabao led the skit that included student Spc. Artiana Bolls, Qwameshia Gaines, Agnes Powell, and Pfc. Andrea Sims dressed as superheroes complete with red capes representing teeth, fluoride, floss and overall dental care coming to the rescue of students, Specs Dominici Owens, Darnel Williams, Marcus Jackson, mock patients who presented with tooth decay and missing teeth to the doctor, student Spc. Hemantu Dahal.
Sims said, "We came here to talk to the kids about oral hygiene. We let them show us how they brushed and flossed and then we gave them tips how to brush and floss."
Amy Chicon, who has been with the elementary school for 22 years said, "This program has been in place for 22 years. I think it is a benefit for the kids. We can teach them to do these things, their parents can teach them and they may already know it, but when they hear it from somebody else they listen."
At the end of the day, each student took home a bag filled with dental literature and included a coloring book, a toothbrush, and floss courtesy of Budge Dental Clinic.
Each February, the American Dental Association sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. According to ADA, developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. You can find more information about dental care at www.ada.org.
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