May 200836

My Teeth are So Tall AAPD Announces Its Head Start Dental Home Initiative in D.C.

Marianthi Bumbaris & Jan Connelly

FEATURE STORY

As the nation’s center for change, legislation, and vision, Washington, D.C., served as the perfect city to launch the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s Head Start Dental Home Initiative. The Ato launch the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s Head Start Dental Home Initiative. The AAcademy hosted a press conference at the Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center to offi cially an-AAcademy hosted a press conference at the Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center to offi cially an-A

nounce its partnership with the Offi ce of Head Start (OHS).

A roomful of attentive Head Start children are drawn to AAPD President Dr. Keith R. Morley as he reads to the children on how to protect their teeth so they can grow to be strong and healthy.

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The OHS awarded the Academy a fi ve-year, $10 million dol-lar contract to establish dental homes for nearly 1 million children enrolled annually in Head Start programs across the country. Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children: The Foundation of the American Acad-emy of Pediatric Dentistry will also support the initiative through a generous $600,000 sponsorship from Johnson & Johnson Healthcare products. As a long-standing supporter of Head Start, their support of this initiative is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to provide oral care solutions for children.

The Mazique Center, an Early Head Start and Head Start Center, provided an ideal location for such a momentous occasion. The center’s board, staff and parents, under the leadership of Almeta Keys, volunteered time and resources to ensure a successful event.

Almeta Keys said, “The Mazique Center had the unique oppor-tunity to be the fi rst Head Start program in the country to hear about a new oral health initiative that promises improved access to dental care. This is indeed what is best for our children.”

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland was the opening speaker. Cummings commanded attention by delivering a personal message to the audience. He talked about his own experience with tooth decay – how he and many others as children learned to live with toothaches. He said that each house in his neighborhood always had Orajel and Q-tips handy to help numb the pain, and, when the pain was unbear-able, the application of turpentine could offer some relief. He called the Head Start Dental Home Initiative an opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of children and offer a place for families to turn to in moments in need. Cummings said that his mission is that no child suffers the same fate as Deamonte Driver, the 12-year-old boy from Baltimore, Md., who died as a result of an untreated tooth abscess, in February 2007.

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (7th District Maryland) shares his thoughts

about the importance of children’s oral health care and access to care. For the past

year, Cummings has been actively campaigning on Capitol Hill for both issues.

Mazique Center Executive Director Almeta Keys addresses the audience

about the great need for the Dental Home Initiative and how it will

impact Head Start children across the nation.

National Head Start Association Parent-of-the-Year Keisha Wright

delivers a personal account of the positive effect that Head Start has had

on her life and those of her children. As the Mazique Center Council

President, Wright will share the importance of oral health care with other PDT

President, Wright will share the importance of oral health care with other PDT

parents.

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Dental Home Project Director and AAPD Child Advocate James J. Crall answers questions

posed by Capital News Services reporter, Veena Trehan.

AAPD Affi liate Trustee Dr. Paul Nick Rogers gives one Head Start parent information and

tips that she can use at home.

In the words of AAPD President Dr. Keith R. Morley, “Congress-man Cummings gave a powerful, moving opening address, spoken with passion, sincerity and devotion emphasizing the challenges that children face in society, especially with oral health care. He is a true advocate for children, a great ally of the AAPD and all that this orga-nization represents.”

Morley added, “I am convinced that the AAPD Head Start Dental Home Project will be the foundation and beginning that will ensure the future, and children’s oral health care will become a priority for the nation.”

(back row l-r) Speakers AAPD Executive Director John S. Rutkauskas; Mazique Center Board President Wendell Campbell; Head Start parent Keisha Wright; Dental Home Project Director

and AAPD Child Advocate James J. Crall; Dr. Madeline Monaco (Johnson & Johnson); Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children President Paul A. Kennedy Jr.; AAPD President Keith R. Morley;

(middle row l-r) Head Start teacher Frieda Phifer Anderson; Mazique Center Executive Director Almeta Keys; teacher assistant Evelyn Sands; and Head Start children.

Other speakers included President of Mazique Center board of directors Wendell Campbell; AAPD Executive Director Dr. John S. Rutkauskas; Senior Director of Johnson & Johnson Global Oral Health Care Professional Affairs Dr. Madeline Monaco; Mazique Center Executive Director Almeta Keys; and National Head Start Association Parent-of-the-year Keisha Wright.

The press conference was well attended. Those present included journalists, teachers, parents, administrators, Head Start leaders, AAPD staff and leadership, and corporate supporters. Representa-tives from Johnson & Johnson and Sesame Street also attended.

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After addressing the over 100 guests at the Press Conference, AAPD President

Dr. Keith R. Morley takes a moment to read the new Sesame Street Book,

“Ready, Set, Brush!” to a classroom of Head Start children. The publisher

of the book, Reader’s Digest, graciously donated a book for each child at the

Mazique Center.

One Head Start child enjoys his copy of “Ready, Set, Brush!”

Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children President Dr. Paul A. Kennedy Jr. called it a landmark event. “I tried to recall an event of similar magnitude for our Academy. I could not. In my 30 plus years of AAPD membership, I have never been so proud of our organization and what we stand for.”

The Washington Post and The Capital News Service attended the press conference. On Feb.

28, the morning of the press conference, the press release received 29 placements on online

outlets like Forbes, Washington Business Journal, The Houston Chronicle, and Medical

News Today. The release has also been posted by dental trades Dental Economics, RDH,

Woman Dentist Journal, Dental Offi ce, Proofs, and Dental Assisting Digest.

As the conference came to a close, a classroom of Head Start children came to the head of the room to present artwork and a song. With big smiles, they sang “My teeth are so tall.” After the song, each child received their own copy of “Ready, Set, Brush,” a new Sesame Street pop-up book donated for each child at the center by Reader’s Digest. Other donations included toothbrushes from Johnson & John-son and fl uoridated water from Spring! The children gave a tooth book that they had created to Dental Home Initiative Director and AAPD Child Advocate Dr. James J. Crall.

After the conference ended, a number of pediatric dentists volunteered to read “Ready, Set, Brush” to classrooms fi lled with spellbound children. Morley said, “One of the highlights of the day for me was to go to one of the classrooms of these young, beautiful, enthusiastic children and read the Sesame Street book. I have never enjoyed myself so much or been so inspired.”