Preschool and elementary school students taught the importance of early tooth care and health

CARY – In conjunction with Children’s Dental Health Month, Cary Family Dental recently presented 12 dental health presentations to approximately 370 preschool and kindergarten students in Cary and Apex—quadrupling the number of presentations they presented last year.  Cary Family Dental Registered Dental Hygienists Crystal Koran, Melissa Crouse, and Melissa Dunn, along with dental assistant Samantha Hardee, gave dental health presentations to all seven kindergarten classes at Salem Elementary, as well as to children at Chesterbrook Academy, Bright Horizons Preschool, and Washington Elementary School.  This is the third year the dental practice has provided these free presentations to their community.

Cary Family Dental offers these presentations in February to coincide with Children’s Dental Health Month, an annual event sponsored by the American Dental Association to raise awareness about the importance of oral health.  Koran says that early education about the importance of proper tooth maintenance is important to ensuring lifelong optimal dental health.

“Being able to talk with these children is so fun and rewarding,” says Koran.  “Children at preschool and early elementary school age are naturally curious and eager to learn about new things.  It’s the best time to teach them about their teeth and reinforce the importance of taking good care of their mouth now.  I’m glad that we were able to reach so many children this year and look forward to our continuing this annual tradition next year!”

Amy Oppenheimer said that her preschool and kindergarten classes at Chesterbrook Academy particularly enjoyed learning how to properly brush and floss their teeth by practicing on Cary Family Dental’s puppet, Dudley.

“We feel so lucky to have had Miss Melissa [Crouse] and Miss Samantha [Hardee] here to show us proper brushing and flossing and to tell us about happy and sad snacks,” says Oppenheimer.  “It really helps to reinforce these habits.”

Cary Family Dental provided 20-minute interactive presentations, which included puppets, a game teaching healthy foods, and information on healthy oral hygiene habits and brushing techniques.  The hygienists also encouraged regular dental appointments.  Each student was also given a gift bag which included dental supplies, a coloring book, crayons, stickers, and a dental informational brochure for parents.

Cary Family Dental offers free dental health presentations to preschools and elementary schools in Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Morrisville, and the surrounding areas on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Any educator interested in booking a presentation for next year can contact Cary Family Dental at (919) 460-6884.

About Cary Family Dental
Cary Family Dental is located near the corner of Kilmayne Drive and Kildaire Farm Road in Cary, NC and provides a trusted tradition of personalized, comfortable, and affordable care.  Dr. Allan Acton has trained extensively and offers comprehensive cosmetic and family dental care in Invisalign, veneers, implants, dentures, emergency care, fillings, crowns, root canals and periodontal therapy. Dr. Acton was voted Best Cosmetic Dentist in western Wake County by Cary Magazine in
2008 and 2009. Cary Family Dental serves families in Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Morrisville, and the surrounding areas.  For more information, call (919) 460-6884 or visit www.carydental.com.