Dentist Reflector
Have the children cut out two strips of paper that when connected will fit around their head. Connect the strips with glue or tape, (staples will catch the child’s hair). Supply each child with a circle shaped piece of tag board and a piece of tin foil. Have the child wrap the tin foil around the tag board. Staple the tag board to the headband. You can write Dr. Teeth or the child’s last name on the foil.  

Paper Plate Mouth
Supply each child with a small paper plate and tiny marshmallows. Have the children glue the marshmallows around the edge (for teeth). When the glue has tried, fold the plate in half.

As a practicing dental hygienist Kimberly Meehan is a powerful spokesperson promoting children’s oral health awareness with the goal of building healthier communities one child at a time. You will find her visiting community centers and school classrooms to educate children on the importance of proper brushing, good nutrition, and dental sealants. We love being a big part of Kim’s presentations and helping her get the message out to kids and their families.

See her blog and story here:

Thank you Kimberly for everything you do.

http://kimberlymeehan.blogspot.com/2010/04/oral-health-presentation-at-7th-avenue.html

Special Olympics Special Smiles is part of the Healthy Athlete program that has been serving Special Olympic Athletes for over 10 Years. The program offers free health screenings, referrals to health care providers and training to students and professionals about the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Healthy Athletes has a presence in over 90 countries. At more than 700,000 screenings in 92 countries, volunteer health professionals have brought free preventative medicine and care to athletes in dire need of basic checkups, and sometimes more.

Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. The American Dental Association held the first national observance of Children’s Dental Health Day on February 8, 1949. This single day observance became a week-long event in 1955. In 1981, the program was extended to a month-long celebration known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Since 1941, the observance has grown from a two-city event into a nationwide program. NCDHM messages reach millions of people in communities across the country and at numerous armed service bases abroad. Local observances often include poster, coloring, and essay contests, health fairs, free dental screenings, museum exhibits, classroom presentations and dental office tours

Smiles Across America® is a program created by Oral Health America and sponsored by Trident® gum. Smiles Across America® is dedicated to bringing dental services and education to undeserved communities around the US. They recognize that untreated oral diseases and tooth decay are major problems that affect today’s children and have come up with great programs to engage young audiences.  Launched in partnership with public schools and community oral health providers, SAA has provided over $1.1 million in grant support to programs in Maine, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minnesota, Las Vegas, and Santa Barbara/Ventura Counties (CA). SAA funding for oral disease prevention services allows communities to leverage resources and expand programs for uninsured and underinsured children.  The program supports services to over 90,000 children annually and helps communities respond to the critical need for oral disease prevention and oral health promotion.