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(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080131/AQTH110)
The two costumed characters are stars of an educational oral healththeater program called "Teeth on the Go," which is being presented throughoutIllinois schools to nearly 30,000 students. Delta Dental of Illinois (DDIL), anot-for-profit dental service corporation, is offering the program to schoolsfree of charge.
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In February, the Teeth on the Go program will visit schools throughoutChicago and the Chicagoland-area, Springfield, Peoria, Berwyn, Harvey,Waukegan, and more. For specific locations, dates and times, please visit:http://www.deltadentalil.com (in the "About Us" section).
According to Oral Health America: A Report of the Surgeon General, toothdecay is the single most common chronic childhood disease, five times morecommon than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.
"Few parents and teachers realize the magnitude of tooth decay for ourchildren," said Dr. Robert E. Dennison, president and chief executive officerof DDIL. "And unlike many of the childhood diseases, proper dental habitsinstilled at a young age can virtually prevent it."
Tooth Wizard and PlaqueMan deliver a highly entertaining program,educating children on how to get rid of what the Tooth Wizard refers to asthat "icky, sticky, slimy, grimy, sort of yellowy, greeny gunk" -- in otherwords, plaque -- that causes cavities and damages teeth and gums.
The program boosts the enthusiasm of young children for taking care oftheir teeth and for their overall oral health. The characters not only explainproper brushing techniques, how to floss, good and bad foods for the teeth andwhy it is important to visit the dentist at least twice a year, but alsodemonstrate how to do these things using an oversized tooth model andtoothbrush, as well as student volunteers.
Alarming Statistics
Though professional care is necessary for maintaining oral health, 25percent of poor children have not seen a dentist before entering kindergarten.Additionally, uninsured children are 2.5 times less likely than insuredchildren to receive dental care. Delta Dental of Illinois recognizes that manyfamilies do not have the means to visit the dentist as frequently asnecessary. Through its community benefit efforts, Delta Dental of Illinois issupporting programs that will work to increase access to care. The "Teeth onthe Go" program provides an important component in improving oral health aswell.
Keeping the Smiles Alive
The oral health experience extends beyond the stage performance. Everychild who attends the program receives a "dental treat" bag containing atoothbrush, toothpaste, floss and an oral health brochure explaining theimportance of good oral health.
Each school receives a "Teeth on the Go" curriculum kit for educators touse to help reinforce good oral health habits with their students. The kitincludes visual and audio educational tools, including a 12-minute video, anaudiocassette tape, books, and a three-times-larger-than-life-sized mouthmodel and toothbrush to demonstrate proper brushing techniques.
About Delta Dental of Illinois
Delta Dental of Illinois is a not-for-profit dental service corporationspecializing in providing comprehensive, easy-to-use and cost-effectivebenefits to over one million employees and family members in more than 3,200employee groups throughout Illinois. Based in Lisle, Ill., Delta Dental ofIllinois offers an array of extensive nationwide network-based managedfee-for-service, PPO and de
