February is Dental Health Month, so Hanford-Dole Elementary School invited Salisbury Pediatric Dentistry to do a dental health awareness program for the school’s pre-kindergarten through third-grade students.
Emily Lusk and Ali Castro’s educational presentation allowed students to participate in hands-on activities. They taught the students the “rule of two” — brush two times a day for at least two minutes. Lusk and Castro also stressed the importance of flossing at least once a day.
Lusk and Castro showed the students various dental instruments such as the “tooth tickler” (polisher), “Mr. Thirsty” (saliva ejector), “water squirter” (water syringe) and the “tooth counter” (explorer), and explained what role they play in a regular dental visit.
Students were also quizzed about which snacks were healthy and which were unhealthy and which beverages were best to drink.
Each student who attended the presentation received a new toothbrush, compliments of Salisbury Pediatric Dentistry.
Fran Simpson, Communities In Schools site coordinator, arranged to have the dental program for Hanford-Dole.