Passes Dental Care teamed up with the Manhasset/Great Neck E.O.C.’s Head Start Program for a day of dentistry last Sunday in hopes of bringing out brighter smiles for children who otherwise might have had trouble getting dental care.
Stephanie Chenault, the executive director of the Head Start program, said that it typically requires children to get a dental and physical checkup when they start the program. But some families in the program have issues with insurance, finding a dentist who would accept it, or long waiting lists for appointments, she said.
Consequently, Chenault said, this event was a “wonderful opportunity” for children in the program to get their teeth cleaned and see a dentist, and for families to learn the importance of long-term dental health.
“It was a wonderful opportunity for our families who don’t have dentists,” Chenault said, noting that the event was about a year in the making.
“This was so convenient because they were right here in Great Neck,” Chenault added.
The program aims to provide “comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families,” according to its website.
Children at the event not only got a free cleaning and checkup, but also learned the importance of long-term dental care through the story of “Germie the Germ” told by Dr. Harvey Passes.
“It was our intention to expose young children to preventive home care services which will help them keep their teeth for a lifetime,” Tiffany Fernandez, the director of marketing at Passes Dental Care, said via email. “By working with the children at the Head Start Program in Manhasset, we were able to create a heartwarming experience that changed their perspective on dentistry.”
The event was part of National Children’s Dental Health Month, which aims to underscore the importance of oral hygiene and fighting tooth decay.
More than 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related conditions, the office of the surgeon general says. Also, according to the American Dental Hygienists Association, $8 to $50 is saved for every dollar spent on preventative care.
Representatives from Head Start and Passes Dental Care said they hope to work together again in the future.
