Journal of the Louisiana Dental Association

LDAfeatureMeghan SpeakesLDA InternImagine a second grader who has never held atoothbrush or sat in a dentist’s chair. It may be hardfor you to do, but it is a scenario that Amy Karam andthe dentists involved in the Delta Dental Initiative seeall too often when they visit schools in rural Louisiana.The Initiative began in 2002 when The HealthEnrichment Network (THEN) was given a small grantto improve the oral health of Louisiana children.They started withone local school inAllen Parish and withintwo years had expandedto five. They focused onand helped the needy students, who, forwhatever reason, did not have access to proper healthcare. At the two-year mark, Karam wrote an article inthe Winter 2005 LDA Journal about the tremendousprogress they had made and the amount of help theyhad received from the state’s dental community, namelySeal A Smile Program Becomes Part of a LargerInitiative, Growing Up Fitthe LDA and its members. This article should serve as anupdate as well as a call to action for dentists and otherhealth care providers who want to donate their time andservices to make a difference in young children’s lives.Oral health care remains a priority to THEN, butthe group has made some major strides since we lastheard from them in 2005. Seal A Smile is now underthe umbrella of a largerinitiative, Growing Up Fit,which works to educatechildren on overallhealth in 43 Louisianaparishes. February isNational Children’s Dental Health Month, so duringthat month the group focuses on oral health. Dentistsexamine students’ mouths for decay and evaluate theircomplaints; group members use a puppet, Jack Plaque,to teach the children how to thoroughly brush andfloss their teeth. Jack seems to be a hit with everyone.Karam said, “He is a great way to show the childrenhow to brush and floss and give them hands-onexperience so it is easier for them to do it on theirown. And the children love him, too.” Before the groupleaves they give each student a bag, which containsa toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and supplementalto share with their families.r the other 11 months of thear, oral health is discussed as itrelates to the students’ overallhealth. According to a studyconducted by Blue Cross BlueShield, almost one in threeuisiana school-aged childrenis overweight or obese. THENdecided to combine these two topics because nutritionsignificantly impacts a person’s weight as well as his/her oral health.One way that the group demonstrates that fact isby soaking an egg in a glass of soda. Sodas and junk26 LDA Journal