Third graders at North Miami’s Fulford Elementary School brushed up on the importance of making it a habit to take care of their teeth and gums with the help of an enthusiastic group of second year dental hygiene students from Miami Dade College’s School of Allied Health Technologies.

Dr.Susan Kass, Director of the Dental Hygiene Program at Miami Dade College is very committed to service learning. "Giving back to the community is a big component of the dental hygiene program and the students enthusiastically give of their own time to participate in community activities that enable them to promote oral health and disease prevention."  Under the direction of Dr. Susan Hudson, the program’s clinical supervisor, 13 future dental hygienists demonstrated proper tooth brushing techniques to small groups of children at the Title One school.

Armed with whimsical, and very toothy, plush hand puppet animals and oversized toothbrushes, the dental hygiene students let the kids practice on the puppets before introducing them to the disposable waterless toothbrushes that will be added to their lunch trays beginning Monday, Oct.25, 2010

Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ current School Board Chair and Fulford Elementary alumni Wilbert “Tee” Holloway joined one group for instruction and then posed for photos with a toothy purple puppet and a giant toothbrush.

Promoting lunchtime tooth brushing in schools is the project of Dr. Lynda Colaizzi, a South Miami dentist whose commitment to volunteer dental clinics over the years has shown her what can happen to children in households where a toothbrush is a luxury item. Working with Fulford guidance counselor Jessie Pernell, Colaizzi arranged to make the toothbrushes available to Fulford third graders, whose curriculum this year includes a unit on health and nutrition.

“I see children who have never brushed come to our free dental clinics with ulcers and mouths full of cavities,” she explained to Dr. Jean Teal, principal at Fulford. “If we can make daily brushing a habit at a young age, we can prevent costly dental procedures later in life.”

Colaizzi said her ultimate goal is to get the small, recyclable brushes on every lunch tray in the county and this is just the first step. Currently the program is funded only through the end of 2010.

She and a group of volunteer partners are working to get out the word to prospective sponsors in the hope charitable groups and businesses will adopt a classroom, a grade or a school in their community.

If you or a group with which you are affiliated would like more information about supporting the toothbrush project, contact lcolaizzi@aol.com.