Local dentist to educate students

The American Dental Association has marks the month of February as National Children’s Dental Health Month, and to help spread the word about the importance of good dental health, Dr. Lois James and five staff members from her Ocean View practice will be volunteering their time to speak to first-graders at Lord Baltimore Elementary School on Feb. 16.

“I feel that it’s really something that needs to be done in the community, to raise the children’s dental IQ so they are more aware of how to care for their teeth,” said James.

This will be James’ third year visiting LB, after having been approached by the AARP to visit the school and speak to the children.

“AARP organizes for dentists to go into schools and talk. They did that with me a few years ago, and we had so much fun we just go back every year.”

James donates toothbrushes to each of the students, and AARP provides coloring books that emphasize the important of dental health.

“I give a little talk, and we have a little film. It’s really kind of fun, because the teachers have already told the children what’s good food and what’s bad food. What bacterium does to your teeth, making cavities and so on.”

James said that she and her staff put on a play of sorts and dress up as different characters to illustrate their message about good oral hygiene.

“One of my hygienists’ mom made us costumes for this kind of thing,” she explained. “We get dressed up as molars and toothpaste and bacteria, and we put on a little skit and dance around and talk to the children about what’s good food and bad food.”

James and her staff also interact with the kids, to see what they’ve learned about proper dental health.

“We make it as interactive as we can,” she said. “They usually are real excited about it. They are very animated and they really have a good time when we do this. What I do is I’ll hold up carrots, and I’ll say ‘good food or bad food?’ They all yell out, ‘good food!’”

James said that not only do the kids have a fun time during the presentation, but she and her staff do, as well.

“They love it. It’s always fun working with the children. They’re really fun. The staff is phenomenal about going in and dancing around and acting silly, and they learn something, too.”