LSU School of Dentistry

Dental School Gives Kids a Smile

LSU Health Sciences Center’s School of Dentistry is teaming up with the New Orleans Dental Alliance, the New Orleans Dental Association, the American Dental Association, and Crest to reduce children’s cavities during February which is Children’s Dental Health Month. An average of 1,200 inner-city elementary school kids have had fun learning about good oral health at the dental school every February for the past seven years.

The Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health released in 2000 revealed that tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease–five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. More than 50% of children ages 5-9 have at least one cavity or filling and that proportion increases to 78% among 17-year-olds.

When the children arrive at the dental school, they rotate through four stations. They learn about the anatomy of the tooth and how cavities form from a cartoon produced by the American Dental Association. The Tooth Fairy and Happy Tooth teach them proper brushing technique through a song and dance skit.

At an interactive nutrition station, the kids learn that healthy food really does taste good. As they talk about the different food groups and which food choices make healthy teeth and bodies, they’re given the challenge of putting together well-balanced meals with colorful toy foods.

The children are captivated by a puppet show where they meet a tooth, his friends and a dentist. They learn how to prevent cavities by brushing two to three times a day, flossing at least once a day, limiting sugary snacks between meals, and visiting the dentist twice a year.

LSUHSC pediatric dental residents help children learn to enjoy going to the dentist by familiarizing them with the clinic environment. The kids climb into dental chairs where they go through what happens during a visit to the dentist. Instruments are explained, and the kids can ask questions and about everything from plaque and cavities to losing their first tooth.

Teachers are given classroom educational resource materials including coloring sheets, a dental facts poster and a dental-designed rubber ball for each child. The children are given a kit, provided by Crest, containing a cool toothbrush, Sparkle toothpaste, a calendar chart with stickers, and an educational brochure for parents.

This year, the American Dental Association declared February 6^th Give Kids a Smile Day. LSUHSC’s dental school participated by providing free oral health screenings for the children from the Good Shepherd Nativity School. These 60 children in grades K-3 are enrolled in the free-tuition school Father Harry Tompson founded before his death to serve some of New Orleans’ poorest youngsters. About 90 children from Woodson Middle School were also screened. Under the direction of Dr. Clifton Dummett, Professor and Chairman of Pediatric Dentistry at LSUHSC, the children were screened for cavities, gum health, and to determine their overall oral health status. Results and helpful tips were sent home to the parents.

“Through the activities we provide in conjunction with Children’s Dental Health Month, we’re trying to build a foundation for a lifetime of beautiful smiles,” said Dr. Eric Hovland, Dean of LSUHSC’s School of Dentistry. “We’re grateful for the partnerships which make these activities possible.”

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