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Many Wisconsin Dental Association members and local dental societies hosted dental health education and service activities for area children during February’s National Children's Dental Health Month.
Elroy
A Ironton-LaValle second grade classroom visited the Dr. Christopher Karas’s dental office in mid-February. According to the Reedsburg Independent, their teacher volunteered as a sample dental patient while dental hygienist Katie Stando talked about different dental procedures and instruments.
Fennimore
According to the Fennimore Times, members of the Fennimore Elementary School’s 5-year-old kindergarten class visited Dr. Richard Lofthouse at Fennimore Dentistry for an in-depth look at the dentist office following a unit on dental health. The kindergarteners were able to see all the different tools used by Dr. Lofthouse and his assistants.
Fredonia
Poth Family Dental invited five schools to visit their office. Dental hygienists Amy Jo Papenfus and Courtney Mullikin gave presentations to 110 children. Oral hygiene instructions, nutritional information and the importance of regular dental visits were discussed. After watching a dental-related DVD, the children took turns sitting in the dental chair.
Each child went home with a goody bag that included a toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, stickers and a pencil.
Hilbert
The Brillion News reported that Hilbert Elementary pre-school students took a tour of Dr. Robert Asp’s office for education on sealants and proper hygiene. Dr. Asp also visited their classroom.
Markesan
Dr. Paul Miller and staff visited kindergarteners and fourth graders at Markesan Elementary School in early February. According to the Markesan Regional Reporter, they covered topics such a tooth function, what cavities are and how people get them and proper oral hygiene and nutrition.
Milwaukee
Dr. Ann O’Neil visited a local classroom on Feb. 11. She used a Mr. Gross Mouth model and spit tobacco video to educate kids about how tobacco products can cause oral cancer.
Muskego
The Community Now New Berlin-Muskego reported that Dr. Jason Thompson spoke with students at Country Dale Elementary School about how to avoid cavities and the proper way to clean their teeth.
Waukesha
Dr. Evonne Evans, a Waukesha orthodontist, established an educational children’s dental health program for third grade students in 1995 and is chairperson for this event offered through the Waukesha County Dental Society. In 2009, approximately 45 dentists visited more than 4,000 third grade students (180 classrooms in 11 districts).
Prior to 1995, Crest sponsored a third grade program and participation declined when the company shifted its focus to first grade. Dr. Evans then changed the direction of the program from a product-sponsored presentation to an educational curriculum titled “Plaque Attack” and created teaching kits, which includes four posters showing the parts of a tooth, dental progression of teeth from childhood to adulthood, effective tooth brushing and flossing, how to prevent cavities and proper nutrition. In addition, Dr. Evans expanded the program by making artistic worksheets and word searches for the students to aid in reinforcing the information.
West Milwaukee
Dr. Laura Funke of Funke Family Dentistry visited 24 second graders in late February. They discussed how to brush and floss and Dr. Funke read them a book on oral hygiene.
Whitefish Bay
Dr. Scott Rennicke visited 50 Cumberland School K-4 students in early February. They watched a video, read a tooth story, had a sealant demo and ate tooth cookies.
Woodruff
Dr. Roger Gorectke provided free dental care Feb. 12 on a first come, first served basis to those not covered by insurance or who can’t afford it. According to the Lakeland Times, free vision care was also provided by Advanced Family Vision Care.
Thank you to all WDA members who told us about your NCDHM activities. If you participate in community activities during NCDHM or at any other time of the year – please let us know! Contact Heather Willette at 800-364-7646 or hwillette@wda.org.
For more information & additional resources
Classroom visit resources, including extra WDA Journal NCDHM inserts, posters, activity sheets and a new mouth model for brushing demonstrations, are available through the WDA. Contact Heather Willette at hwillette@wda.org or call 800-364-7646 to share these resources with children, parents and teachers.
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