In honor of Children’s Dental Awareness month in February, students from the Ross Medical Education Center Owensboro, Kentucky Dental Assistant program decided to venture out of the classroom and visit two local preschools. The students were thrilled for the opportunity to share things that they have learned in the classroom with the young students. They understand that dental hygiene is very important for overall health, and they were eager to be a part of helping these students stay healthy.
Lead Dental Assistant Instructor Tessa Yates stated, “the earlier children are educated on how to take care of their teeth, the better off their health will be in the future. Children learn by example and take everything in they are taught.” Instructor Sonya Ralph wholeheartedly agreed, “by giving children the proper health skills at an early age, the more successful they will be. When I found out the Dental Assistant classes had a chance to go out and talk to preschoolers, our students didn’t hesitate to go.”
Within a two week timeframe the Dental Assistant students talked to over 140 preschool students between Hager Preschool and Settle Memorial Preschool. The topics and activities that the Ross students covered were wide-ranging. Some of them were examples of good foods and bad foods, plaque buildup (sugar bugs), and the importance of brushing and flossing. Some advice that Instructor Sonya Ralph gave the children was that, “if you don’t brush away the sugar bugs, you will get cavities that eat away at your teeth. The best advice that I can give you is: while you are brushing your teeth sing your ABCs twice before rinsing.” Campus Director LaTasha Shemwell loved that the students got this opportunity. “I am extremely proud of my Dental Assistant Instructors and students for going out into the community and educating our youth,” she said.