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February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and First 5 San Bernardino and the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s Smile SBC local oral health program are teaming up to encourage parents and caregivers to make their children’s oral health a priority with their “Little Teeth, Big Responsibility” campaign.
Tooth decay is preventable but remains the most common chronic childhood disease. In fact, more than 60 percent of kindergarteners in San Bernardino County have experienced dental decay. Further, children with poor oral health miss more school and are more likely to receive lower grades than their healthier counterparts.
This campaign aims to help parents of newborns and young children understand the importance of oral health by providing low-cost resources and accessible information to families with children under age five.
"The ‘Little Teeth, Big Responsibility’ campaign is very important because oral health habits begin at an early age,” shared First 5 San Bernardino Executive Director Karen Scott.
“Visiting a dentist when your baby’s first tooth appears or at their first birthday is the best way to ensure a lifetime of healthy smiles,” Scott concluded.
To kick off National Children’s Dental Health Month, First 5 San Bernardino and Smile SBC hosted a pop-up dentist event on Feb. 2 at E. Neal Roberts Elementary School in San Bernardino, which was covered by media including NBC4 LA and The Sun newspaper.
Over 60 transitional and kindergarten (TK) students received dental health assessments, complete with oral health-related giveaways and a very teeth-friendly mascot, Potter the Otter.
“We were excited to partner with the San Bernardino City Unified School District this year to further extend the campaign message,” said Bonnie Flippin, program coordinator of San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s Smile SBC.
“We applaud the district for working with dental professionals to bring oral health assessments directly to elementary schools in their district,” Flippin stated.
Visit smilesbc.org to find free- and low-cost dentists near you, useful tips on how to take care of young teeth, and additional information about how to get help with enrollment or transportation.
For more information on the campaign and to access their Partner Toolkit, visit first5sanbernardino.org/oralhealth.
