Mason Branum examines the tooth of his t-rex dental affected person throughout a “Costume Like a Dentist” occasion at Busy Bees Academy in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. The Bartholomew County Well being Division placed on the occasion to advertise good dental hygiene and what to anticipate throughout a dentist appointment.
COLUMBUS, Ind. — A group of preschoolers not too long ago brushed up on the fundamentals of dental care and check-ups — thanks to a little assist from the native tooth fairy and her dinosaur mates.
Bartholomew County Well being Division Dental Coordinator Colleen Ferry Sullivan, aka “the Tooth Ferry,” visited Busy Bees Academy on Feb. 24 to train college students about dental hygiene with some memorable strategies — together with checking stuffed dinosaurs for cavities and introducing the class to her colleague, a dinosaur puppet named Dr. Flossasauris.
After displaying the college students the quick animated movie, “Dudley Visits the Dentist,” Sullivan demonstrated how to gown like a dentist by serving to one little one put on a masks, gloves and dental robe.
“When you get your sufferers, be mild,” Sullivan suggested the class, as she helped 5-year-old Anna Ryshavy go well with up. “They’re solely 1-year-old dinosaurs. And at present, you’re going to be Dr. Anna.”
The different college students then donned their personal dental attire with assist from Sullivan and different adults. Subsequent, the newly-minted dentists used toothbrushes and dental devices to examine and clear the tooth of stuffed dinosaurs, with Sullivan and Dr. Flossasauris providing phrases of encouragement and recommendation.
Anna, for one, stated she would like to be a dentist and had enjoyable brushing her affected person’s tooth and counting them.
“Your tooth are good and shiny,” she instructed the dino, earlier than reminding it to brush twice every day.
As soon as the check-ups have been completed, Sullivan taught the college students a music, reminding them to brush their tooth twice every day for two minutes every time and go to the dentist twice a yr. College students additionally acquired a “Dinosaur Dentist Certificates” and dental baggage.
Friday’s Busy Bees go to was simply one of a number of “Costume Like a Dentist” occasions held by the county well being division throughout February, which was Nationwide Youngsters’s Dental Well being Month. These occasions are additionally half of Indiana’s Give Youngsters A Smile actions and the county well being division’s efforts to present dental well being schooling to kids.
Sullivan estimated that she has taught about 500 kids about dental care in February, together with roughly 40 at Busy Bees.
“The principal aim of this program is getting them snug with the dentist’s workplace,” she stated.
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Mason Branum, left, and Connor Buchannan look at the tooth of their t-rex dental sufferers throughout a “Costume Like a Dentist” occasion at Busy Bees Academy in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. The Bartholomew County Well being Division placed on the occasion to advertise good dental hygiene and what to anticipate throughout a dentist appointment.
For the whole story and extra photographs, see Thursday’s Republic.