Smile, It’s Story Time!

Stories and smiles went hand-in-hand this week when Future of Dentistry visited “P.J. Story Time” at the Beebe Library in Wakefield.

P.J. Story Time gives local families a chance to enjoy stories, songs and games together in the evening. The group gave us a warm welcome, and we were so pleased to be there!

With events like this, Future of Dentistry’s goal is helping kids establish good dental health habits and a positive outlook on visiting the dentist. This is especially true during February, which is celebrated nationally as Children’s Dental Health Month.

There are many great children’s books that emphasize pediatric dental care while making it fun for them. Your kids might enjoy hearing about the Berenstain Bears’ and Curious George’s dentist visits, and about “Bear’s Loose Tooth.” Racquel, from the Future of Dentistry team, read several great books at the library and joined in the singing and rhymes. In addition to working at our front desk, Racquel has a clinical background as a Certified Dental Assistant.

Since Story Time is for age 7 and under, the topic of loose teeth was very popular! Many of the children wanted to share their experiences with loose teeth and visits from the Tooth Fairy. It was a great chance to explain how “big kid teeth” need to be cared for, so they will last your whole life. Racquel discussed the importance of brushing twice a day for two minutes. The children also enjoyed a dental-themed craft.

Racquel brought Future of Dentistry’s interactive “tooth game,” which shows kids how some foods are a problem for teeth. The game board is a magnetic tooth, so kids can see which foods stick to the “tooth.” For example, the candy piece was magnetized, so it clung to the tooth, much like sugar does in reality. The carrot piece wasn’t magnetized, so it slid off the tooth board, just as vegetables don’t stick to teeth in real life.

We always like to bring goodie bags when we give a presentation, so the kids take home a reminder to care for their oral health. Each Story Time participant received a Future of Dentistry tote bag with fun and educational items, as well as dental hygiene products like toothpaste and flossers in kid-friendly flavors.

We had a wonderful evening at Story Time! Dr. Gerry Casazza, the founder of Future of Dentistry, would like to thank the families for attending and making dental care a focus for their children. Special thanks to Youth Services Librarian Dorrie Karlin, whose energy and creativity makes P.J. Story Time a fantastic program.

Future of Dentistry’s community presentations are provided as a volunteer service to raise awareness about dental care and overall health. If you’d like to have Future of Dentistry visit your school or organization, call 781-245-2299 or send us a message here.