‘MegaSmiles’ brightening smiles of children

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000 | 10:12 a.m.

Love your teeth and they will return the favor.

That's what educators at St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson are trying to tell local students.

In honor of National Children's Dental Health month, St. Rose Dominican Hospital has been traveling to Green Valley elementary schools to educate second and third graders on the importance of proper dental care.

By the end of February more than 2,000 students at eight schools will have participated in the interactive program, which includes proper techniques for brushing and flossing and proper nutrition.

The program, MegaSmiles, is a response to a recent survey in which hospital officials found that proper dental care was a key need for families in the hospital's surrounding community, Shauna Burns, community education coordinator for the hospital, said.

"MegaSmiles is our way to give back to this community and hopefully educate children at a very early age on proper dental hygiene so they can avoid early decay and other problems," Burns said.

Children who participate in the program also receive a bag of "teeth-friendly" items including toothbrushes, flavored floss and tablets that will show them areas of plaque they may have missed while brushing.

The items are funded by grants from the United Way.

St. Rose Dominican Hospital is a not-for-profit, religiously sponsored healthcare facility in Southern Nevada that offers a number of programs to the community. MegaSmiles is a collaborative effort between the hospital's Education and Community Outreach Departments.