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National Children’s Dental Health Week 1963
Youngsters at Ben Murch School, Washington, D.C., present their idea of the Mona Lisa. This photograph was published in the Washington Post.
N ational C h ild ren 's D en tal H ealth W e e k 1963
BUREAU OF D E N TAL H E A L T H
More than a thousand American com munities and army installations in this country and abroad carried out National Children’s Dental Health Week programs this year. The many dentists and organizations that have devoted time and effort to bet tering the dental health of children dur ing National Children’s Dental Health Week and the other weeks of the year are to be commended. For the 1963 dental health week pro grams more than 5,200 program planning kits and 445,000 posters were distributed without charge. In addition, 960,000 min-
The Huachuca Scout, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., published a page of pictures January 31 with the headline "Accommodation School Youngsters Observe Chil dren's Dental Health W e ek ." The caption read: "Checkup Time— 'Good boy, no cavities!1 says Fred Sanders as he checks first graders at Gen. Myer School. Skeptical at first, the children soon learned that dentists are trying to help them 'keep that smile.' "
E D U CA TIO N
iature posters, 14,355 car cards, 4,500 window display posters and 1,150 out door advertising posters were used in the various programs. The Romper Room television show again featured dental health during the dental health week. The National Dairy Council and the International Apple As sociation, Inc., again made materials available. The Collapsible Tube Manufacturers Council sent mats with illustrated dental health rules to newspapers. Several man ufacturers of dental products also co operated in the observance of the dental health week. The Bureau of Dental Health Educa tion sent questionnaires to those receiving planning kits for the 1963 program, to obtain information on the effectiveness of the various materials and on local pro grams. Several hundred chairmen replied. Since it is not possible to describe more than a small number of programs in this report, an attempt has been made to choose programs that other dental socie ties may wish to adapt for their use an other year. T E L E V IS IO N A N D RADIO
In Memphis, Tenn., “Dental Decay, Memphis and Shelby County— a Report” was shown twice during the dental health week on Station W K N O -T V . The pro
'.I - -' "Toothbrushing is big, important business— read Page 9" read the caption on this front page picture in The Dominion News, Morgantown, W . Va. Youngsters are Susan Bennett, B1 /^, and Chris Poleway, 2, children of C. G . Bennett and Stanley A. Poleway of the department of pedodontics, W e st Virginia University. Dr. Poleway, the dental health week chairman for the Valley Dental Society, rewrote the series of six articles in the kit to suit local needs. H e also submitted to the newspaper photographs of youngsters and other illustrations. This approach was well received by the local dentists and public.
gram was an interview with the dental director for the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department. A film of the program will be shown throughout the year to P.T.A.’s, civic groups and business organizations as part of the Memphis Dental Society’s continuing dental health education program. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, station W M T T V used special spot announcements 24 times during the dental health week—photographs of local children. The ac companying scripts were recorded by chil dren. Each announcement included five photographs 8 / 2 by 11 inches mounted on stiff cardboard; on a sixth card was a cartoon announcing the dental health week. Total cost of preparing the four 20-second spot announcements was $200. The station reported that, according to three rating services, these spot announce ments were seen in more than 1,200,000 homes. In Syracuse, N .Y., two dentists ap peared on radio programs. One discussed facts and fallacies in dentistry, while the other, the county dental society president, explained the various services and contri
butions the dental society makes to the community. In Los Angeles, a dentist who is a city health commissioner made a 5-minute taped statement. This was played daily on Radio Station KGFJ. In Youngstown, Ohio, several radio stations used recordings of dentists’ chil dren giving one-minute spot announce ments on dental health. In Fayetteville, N.C., the dental health week chairman for the Cumberland County Dental Society appeared on an hour interview program on Station W F A I. The interview was based on the questions and answers in the series of six newspaper articles included in the dental health week planning kit. In addition, the doctor answered questions telephoned in by listeners while the program was on the air. N E W S P A P E R P U B L IC IT Y
The Los Angeles County Dental Society carried out an extensive publicity pro gram. Here are some of the activities: Special stories were prepared for the
Merlin W e b b , Phoenix, assisted by local youngsters and Puppet R. Crag Revenswood, demonstrates the use of disclosing tablets during a special half-hour public service telecast over Stations KOOL-TV, Phoenix, and KOLD-TV, Tucson. The two stations' combined signals cover the state of Arizona. More than 100,000 disclosing tablets had been distributed to school chil dren throughout the state. The children were instructed not to use the tablets until told to do so during the television show. Parents were urged to watch the show, which featured dental health information and enter tainment, with their youngsters.
REPORTS OF COUNCILS AND BUREAUS . . . VOLUME 66, JU N E 1963 • 147/87?
food sections of two newspapers. Other stories centered on the work of the dental auxiliary and, with photographs taken at Hollywood Health Center, were given to editors of family or women’s sections of three newspapers. In advance of February 4, the date of the smile contest finals, special stories were sent to news media throughout the county. These stories gave all details of the contest except the names of the win ners, which were reported to editors by telephone on February 4. Special stories quoting the city health officer and two city health commissioners (one of them a dentist) were sent to all 125 newspapers in Los Angeles. Another story on dental health week was sent to some 120 editors of house or gans (company publications) and other publications circulated among specialized groups of persons. In Evansville, Ind., a local drugstore chain mentioned National Children’s Dental Health Week in some of its news paper advertisements. A local pharma ceutical firm promoted the dental health week in its weekly newsletter to all drug gists. S C H O O L PR O G R A M S
In Cranford, N.J., the public relations and dental health education committee of the Union County Dental Society pre sented a program on dental health to the members of the Union County School
Karen W ooten and Francis Hallman display the trophies they won in the Children's Dental Health W eek essay contest at Seoul, Korea. Arm y dental officers carried out an extensive dental health week program for the dependent population in Seoul, which is just 40 miles from the Communist lines.
Nurses Association February 6 at the Livingston School. Table clinics covered the subjects of operative dentistry, perio dontal disease, nutrition, exodontics, radi ology, pedodontics and orthodontics. The chairman of the committee spoke briefly to the nurses about dental decay
During February Maj. Frank R. Landolfe Inspected the teeth of the 3,700 children enrolled in the post schools at Fort Ord, Calif. Each child was given an examination sheet to take home to. his parents, indicating any professional dental treatment needed. A dental health ed ucation program extending through M ay has been planned in cooperation with school offi cials at Fort Ord.
148/880 • THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
Maj. Phillip Bleicher and Maj. G eorge Kuttas, junior residents in the general dentistry residency program, were among the dental officers at Fort Hood, Tex., who presented a career counseling program at the Killeen High School, Killeen, Tex., the evening of February 4. Films were shown, and there was a general question-and-answer period. Then the boys and girls went to the various counseling tables to discuss other questions with the dental officers. Arrangements for the program were made with the high school's guid ance counselor. Approximately 40 students, some of them accompanied by their parents, attended.
and its prevention, emphasizing home and professional care as well as fluoridation of water supplies and topical application of fluorides.
In the schools of Blackhawk County, Iowa, a copy of a letter to parents from the Waterloo Dental Society was sent home with each of the more than 20,000 children in kindergarten through grade 6. The school nurses and officials of both public and parochial schools cooperated with the society in making the arrange ments. The letters (addressed to “Dear Par ents” ) listed the rules for good dental health and stressed the importance of a child’s retaining his deciduous teeth for as long as nature intended. A drawing and the slogan for National Children’s Dental Health Week were placed at the top of the letter. In Effingham County, III., all the first and second grade pupils— 1,200 of them -— in 25 schools were given toothbrushes and dental health education literature by the dentists in the county. Nurses in the Effingham County Health Department gave demonstrations of proper toothbrushing methods to the youngsters and
showed them dental health education movies. In San Diego, Calif., sixteen professional and commercial groups cooperated to present a three-day exhibit in Mission Valley Center, a shopping center in San Diego. The outdoor displays were de signed primarily to acquaint the public with the specialized training of dental hygienists, assistants and laboratory tech nicians, as well as with the products den tists use in their practices. Taking part in the program were the San Diego County dental hygienists’, den tal assistants’ and dental laboratory soci eties and 13 commercial firms making dental products. A dentist was named by the dental society to coordinate the proj ect with professional and commerical representatives and the management of the Mission Valley Center. In Battle Creek, Mich., a window dis play in a downtown store was centered on the dental society’ s recent mouthguard project (steps involved, models, technics and materials). The heading which was used for the display was “Your Dental Society and Schools Through the Mouth guard Program Work to Protect Their Smiles.”
Dentists in Passaic County, New Jersey, presente table clinics for students in two junior high schools W a yn e and two high schools in Paterson. Subjec covered were operative dentistry, nutrition, orthodo’ tics and roentgenography, endodontics and oral su gery. Small, informal groups of students rotated fro table to table, listening and, the dentists report, "as ing some very intelligent questions."
REPORTS OF COUNCILS AND BUREAUS . . . VOLUME 66, JU N E 1963 • 149/881
In West Virginia the Wheeling District Dental Society put posters in all the dis tribution centers for the Sabin oral polio vaccine in the county two weeks before the dental health week. While the posters were on display, 47,438 persons received the vaccine. STATE PROGRAMS
In Delaware, the division of oral hygiene of the Delaware Board of Health sent a letter to all school superintendents and principals in the state with a few sugges tions for dental health week programs. The suggestions covered visual aids, as sembly programs, science classes (an offer of assistance to students planning dental projects) and the school newspaper. Re ports received by the board of health in dicate that nearly all schools in Delaware observed the dental health week in some way. In Pennsylvania, the dental health edu cation and public information committee of the Pennsylvania Dental Association sent to all local chairmen in the state a booklet called “ Children’s Dental Health Week in Pennsylvania.” The booklet listed television stations using dental health education films or slides of the dental health week poster; radio stations using spot announcements or a record with five dental health pro grams; outdoor advertising agencies and the number of posters sent to each; the proclamation of dental health week by Governor Scranton ; a sample letter thanking cooperating agencies for their help, and a questionnaire on the booklet to be returned to the state association office. The Georgia Dental Association and its council on dental health presented cita tions to 47 communities in Georgia that are fluoridating their water supplies. The covering letter read, in part: The fluoridation of your public water supply is a magnificent contribution to the citizens of your community, and the Georgia Dental Asso ciation wants you and the public to know that
W a lly Moon, Dodger star and honorary dental health week chairman for Los Angeles County, declares winners of Smile of the Year program, Marlene George and Kit Azlein. Naming the widely known athlete as honorary chairman helped get extensive newspaper and radio publicity.
we have recognized your community as one of the most progressive in the state. We also feel that it is most fitting to present you with this citation during the 15th National Children’s Dental Health Week, February 3-9. As you know, the children in your community will benefit throughout life because you have given them this health protection. O T H E R PROGRAM S
The Cleveland Dental Society planned two pilot study programs in the suburbs to evaluate the effectiveness of decentral izing its original Children’s Dental Health Day party and to encourage wider com munity cooperation. In Fairview Park more than a thousand children and adults attended a dental fair held in the junior high school gymnasium. Posters entered in a contest sponsored by the dental society were exhibited at this
150/882 • THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
The Third District Dental Society in Chattanooga, Tenn., presented electric toothbrushes to representa tives of several handicapped children's groups or classes as a part of its dental health week program. Shown at a ceremony at Siskin Rehabilitation Center are, left to right, Kenneth Shipley, Mrs. Billie J o Shirk, Kathy J o Shirk of Avondale School United Cerebral Palsy Center; Valerie Lewis of Brainerd Senior High School multiple handicapped class; Mrs. Hazel Burns of the Siskin Foundation, and Kimberly Combs (in chair) of the child study program for handicapped at Siskin Center.
fair. There were 4,000 entries in the poster contest and 50 entries in the dental exhibit contest. Dentists in the area con structed a permanent dental exhibit which can be transported easily. It will be used in the nine schools in Fairview Park and will be lent to other districts on request. The superintendent and other school officials endorsed all the projects, which were sponsored by the Exchange Club. In Euclid more than two thousand children and their parents attended a pro gram of education and entertainment at a high school. Awards were presented to winners of the poster contest, in which there were 4,000 entries. According to dental society officials, some posters of exceptional quality were submitted by blind children and by retarded children. The service clubs in Euclid all became interested in the program. The Exchange Club, Jaycees, Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary contributed financial support. In addi tion, some of their members participated in the program at the high school. The
superintendent of schools endorsed the project and cooperated with the dentists. In Rhode Island, junior and senior high school students from all over the state were invited to the Joseph Samuels Dental Clinic in Providence for a pro gram directed to boys and girls who might be interested in careers in dentistry or dental hygiene. The clinic staff cooperated with the Rhode Island State Dental Society and Society of Dentistry for Children in pre senting the program. Members of the women’s auxiliary and of the state dental assistants’ association acted as guides. The students arrived by bus at sched uled intervals so that each group had time to observe and to ask questions. The boys and girls were taken on a tour of the clinic facilities to watch dental procedures in the clinics. Informal talks on various aspects of dentistry were given by dentists. An orthodontist spoke briefly on bad habits that can lead to malocclusion. Plaster models were used to show how proper dental treatment can correct mal formation of teeth and jaws. In two cities in Iowa, Cedar Rapids
This photograph was published in the Tribune Chronicle, Warren, Ohio. Caption read: "W orking on models from which mouth protectors are made are Miss Etta Keith (left) and Mrs. Helen Shelar, dental hygienists for the W arren city schools. The schools will observe the 15th National Children's Dental Health W e ek this week, February 3 to 9. Jam es E. Young, school dental adviser, said the mouthpieces should prevent about 99 per cent of all dental football injuries."
dedicated to the public welfare, rather than a “ bunch of dentists” pushing for better dental health and perhaps more patients. It is interesting to note that requests for speakers started flowing in before NCDHW and have continued after NCDHW . Our exec utive board has moved to repeat this letter annually in the expectation that a long-term result will be even more rewarding. A R M Y PROGRAM S
A page of pictures, under the heading "Dental Hygiene and Its Application in Ithaca," was published in the February 2 issue of the Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, N.Y. The picture story concerned the dental hygiene program in the schools. This photograph is of the supervising dentist, George Visnyei, showing tooth structure to young pupils. Exhibits such as this, the caption explained, tend to encourage pupils to realize the importance of talcing care of their teeth.
and Davenport, results of surveys showing the benefits of fluoridation to children’s teeth were released during the dental health week. Both cities began their flu oridation programs in 1952. In Maryland, the dental health com mittee of the Southern Maryland Dental Society had a booth at the Prince Georges County Fair last summer. Purpose: “to demonstrate a sincere interest in the pub lic by informing them of who we were and of our intention to be helpful to them as people.” This exhibit was followed up by a let ter to more than a thousand schools, churches, civic and fraternal organiza tions. The letter said that the society is eager to cooperate with any group or in dividual interested in promoting the health of the community. Information was given on how to obtain speakers for interested groups. The chairman of the dental health committee for the Prince Georges section of the society said: It is our belief that we have increased our visibility in the community as professional men
Numerous army posts in the United States and abroad carried out dental health week programs. Dental officers in many posts abroad gave topical fluoride applications to dependent children. In this country, dental officers spent many off-duty hours working on dental health week programs, in some cases in schools not on posts which are attended by the children of army personnel. Here are a few of the programs: At the Sacramento Signal Depot, Sac ramento, Calif., a week-long open house was held at the dental clinic. Throughout the week notices in the daily bulletin urged parents to bring their children to the dental clinic for a visit. The same in vitation was added to the dental health week posters placed in the mess hall, the
Arnold Kocsis, president of the Detroit District Dental Society, explains an exhibit to Susie Sellers, 4, and her brother Kenneth, 7. Some 6,000 children and parents attended the Children's Dental Health Day party in Detroit, on February 10. Because of the number of requests for tickets, two shows, instead of the one originally planned, were put on.
Looking things over— Nine-year-old J o Ann Der, fourth grader, Thomson Elementary School, Washington, has her teeth inspected by Sidney Greenspan, president elect, D.C. Dental Society; Mrs. Robert Montgomery, nurse, assists. All the children at Thomson Elementary School had their teeth checked during Children's Dental Health W e ek last February. The week-long observance was sponsored here by the D.C. Dental Society. Youngsters were instructed on dental hygiene at the time.
post exchange and the dispensary waiting room. Dispensary personnel were asked to urge all parents to attend the open house with their children. As the dentist was not always immedi ately available, because of his regular pa tient schedule, auxiliary personnel were briefed to greet visitors with an invita tion to observe the facilities. The dentist scanned each child’s mouth and in gen eral terms gave the parents an idea of the child’s dental needs, with a suggestion that they get in touch with their local dentist. The doctor also provided infor mation on fluoridation, topical applica tion of fluoride and fluoride tablets. Par ents were given disclosing tablets for their children to use, as an incentive for better toothbrushing. About a hundred children visited the clinic during the week. They were, ac cording to the dental officer, wonderfully cooperative and interested, particularly when family groups came in. “ Parents,”
he said, “ seemed to benefit by having the children’s dental defects pointed out to them and their needs explained. At this time, we have received reports that sev eral of these groups promptly obtained dental appointments for their children after their visit to our clinic. More en couraging, each person who understood dental needs and the preventive outlook will come in contact with others, and one believer makes another. It was a reward ing week.” At Fort Hood, Texas, four cub scout packs, approximately 140 boys, made field trips to the post dental clinic during the dental health week. The boys were taken on tours of the dental facility in groups of 15. Dental officers showed the youngsters dental instruments and methods of re storing teeth, materials used to restore teeth and the value of roentgenograms and discussed some of the scientific prin ciples on which dentistry is based. Then the dentists told the children about the value of maintaining good dental health through correct toothbrushing methods, diet, periodic dental examinations and fluoridation. The boys were encouraged to ask questions. Because patients were present in the
Paul Starkey, chairman of the child dental health com mittee, Indianapolis District Dental Society, appeared with Barbara Kay on Kindergarten College, Station W L W I-T V , Indianapolis, Ind.
REPORTS OF COUNCILS AND BUREAUS
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Thousands of spectators, Including most of the govern ment officials and representatives, saw the booth set up at the Prince Georges County Fair last summer by the dental health education committee of the South ern Maryland Dental Society. In the booth are Edward M. Barnett, chairman of the dental health committee, section for Prince Georges, and Roseanne Carroll and Karen Smith, dental assistants. "O u r pur pose," Dr. Barnett says, "was to demonstrate a sincere interest in the public by informing them of who we were and of our intention to be helpful to them as people."
treatment facility during the field trips, the cub scouts had the opportunity of actually seeing the procedures that had been discussed. One of the field trips was filmed for television. The film was shown on the Fort Hood “ Post Time” show February 9, on Station K C E N , Waco-Temple, Texas. At the Aschaffenburg Officers’ Open Mess, a luncheon was arranged for army dental officers and German dentists, in-
VOLUME 66, JU N E 1963 • 153/885
cluding a public health dentist. During a three-hour discussion the Americans showed the materials they have to work with, and the public health dentist pre sented the German dental health program in the Aschaffenburg area. Commenting on the luncheon, the com manding officer of the 92d Medical De tachment, a dentist, said: Many excellent ideas were exchanged at this meeting, and it proved stimulating to both Americans and Germans. The thoroughness of the German school program was surprising to most of the American dentists. Insurance health groups furnish the schools with many graphic aids for the teachers to present to the students. Dental treatment for the German children is not mandatory; however, strong measures appeared to be utilized to get the child to a dentist when the examining dentist in the school noted any dental defects.
In Stuttgart, Germany, more than a hundred children wrote thank-you letters to dentists who spoke in the American schools there. One of them said: “Thank you for coming. I think your talk Was interesting and the class learned a lot. I hope you enjoyed yourself. “The part I like is when we talked about what the different parts of your tooths do. I liked it because when I grow up I would like to be a dentist, dental as sistant or a nurse. When I go to get a check-up I hope to come see you.” Another youngster (who signed his let ter “Your friend, Herman” ) said: “ I think you are the best dentist in the whole world.”
N ational C h ild ren 's D en tal H ealth W e e k 1963
BUREAU OF D E N TAL H E A L T H
More than a thousand American com munities and army installations in this country and abroad carried out National Children’s Dental Health Week programs this year. The many dentists and organizations that have devoted time and effort to bet tering the dental health of children dur ing National Children’s Dental Health Week and the other weeks of the year are to be commended. For the 1963 dental health week pro grams more than 5,200 program planning kits and 445,000 posters were distributed without charge. In addition, 960,000 min-
The Huachuca Scout, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., published a page of pictures January 31 with the headline "Accommodation School Youngsters Observe Chil dren's Dental Health W e ek ." The caption read: "Checkup Time— 'Good boy, no cavities!1 says Fred Sanders as he checks first graders at Gen. Myer School. Skeptical at first, the children soon learned that dentists are trying to help them 'keep that smile.' "
E D U CA TIO N
iature posters, 14,355 car cards, 4,500 window display posters and 1,150 out door advertising posters were used in the various programs. The Romper Room television show again featured dental health during the dental health week. The National Dairy Council and the International Apple As sociation, Inc., again made materials available. The Collapsible Tube Manufacturers Council sent mats with illustrated dental health rules to newspapers. Several man ufacturers of dental products also co operated in the observance of the dental health week. The Bureau of Dental Health Educa tion sent questionnaires to those receiving planning kits for the 1963 program, to obtain information on the effectiveness of the various materials and on local pro grams. Several hundred chairmen replied. Since it is not possible to describe more than a small number of programs in this report, an attempt has been made to choose programs that other dental socie ties may wish to adapt for their use an other year. T E L E V IS IO N A N D RADIO
In Memphis, Tenn., “Dental Decay, Memphis and Shelby County— a Report” was shown twice during the dental health week on Station W K N O -T V . The pro
'.I - -' "Toothbrushing is big, important business— read Page 9" read the caption on this front page picture in The Dominion News, Morgantown, W . Va. Youngsters are Susan Bennett, B1 /^, and Chris Poleway, 2, children of C. G . Bennett and Stanley A. Poleway of the department of pedodontics, W e st Virginia University. Dr. Poleway, the dental health week chairman for the Valley Dental Society, rewrote the series of six articles in the kit to suit local needs. H e also submitted to the newspaper photographs of youngsters and other illustrations. This approach was well received by the local dentists and public.
gram was an interview with the dental director for the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department. A film of the program will be shown throughout the year to P.T.A.’s, civic groups and business organizations as part of the Memphis Dental Society’s continuing dental health education program. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, station W M T T V used special spot announcements 24 times during the dental health week—photographs of local children. The ac companying scripts were recorded by chil dren. Each announcement included five photographs 8 / 2 by 11 inches mounted on stiff cardboard; on a sixth card was a cartoon announcing the dental health week. Total cost of preparing the four 20-second spot announcements was $200. The station reported that, according to three rating services, these spot announce ments were seen in more than 1,200,000 homes. In Syracuse, N .Y., two dentists ap peared on radio programs. One discussed facts and fallacies in dentistry, while the other, the county dental society president, explained the various services and contri
butions the dental society makes to the community. In Los Angeles, a dentist who is a city health commissioner made a 5-minute taped statement. This was played daily on Radio Station KGFJ. In Youngstown, Ohio, several radio stations used recordings of dentists’ chil dren giving one-minute spot announce ments on dental health. In Fayetteville, N.C., the dental health week chairman for the Cumberland County Dental Society appeared on an hour interview program on Station W F A I. The interview was based on the questions and answers in the series of six newspaper articles included in the dental health week planning kit. In addition, the doctor answered questions telephoned in by listeners while the program was on the air. N E W S P A P E R P U B L IC IT Y
The Los Angeles County Dental Society carried out an extensive publicity pro gram. Here are some of the activities: Special stories were prepared for the
Merlin W e b b , Phoenix, assisted by local youngsters and Puppet R. Crag Revenswood, demonstrates the use of disclosing tablets during a special half-hour public service telecast over Stations KOOL-TV, Phoenix, and KOLD-TV, Tucson. The two stations' combined signals cover the state of Arizona. More than 100,000 disclosing tablets had been distributed to school chil dren throughout the state. The children were instructed not to use the tablets until told to do so during the television show. Parents were urged to watch the show, which featured dental health information and enter tainment, with their youngsters.
REPORTS OF COUNCILS AND BUREAUS . . . VOLUME 66, JU N E 1963 • 147/87?
food sections of two newspapers. Other stories centered on the work of the dental auxiliary and, with photographs taken at Hollywood Health Center, were given to editors of family or women’s sections of three newspapers. In advance of February 4, the date of the smile contest finals, special stories were sent to news media throughout the county. These stories gave all details of the contest except the names of the win ners, which were reported to editors by telephone on February 4. Special stories quoting the city health officer and two city health commissioners (one of them a dentist) were sent to all 125 newspapers in Los Angeles. Another story on dental health week was sent to some 120 editors of house or gans (company publications) and other publications circulated among specialized groups of persons. In Evansville, Ind., a local drugstore chain mentioned National Children’s Dental Health Week in some of its news paper advertisements. A local pharma ceutical firm promoted the dental health week in its weekly newsletter to all drug gists. S C H O O L PR O G R A M S
In Cranford, N.J., the public relations and dental health education committee of the Union County Dental Society pre sented a program on dental health to the members of the Union County School
Karen W ooten and Francis Hallman display the trophies they won in the Children's Dental Health W eek essay contest at Seoul, Korea. Arm y dental officers carried out an extensive dental health week program for the dependent population in Seoul, which is just 40 miles from the Communist lines.
Nurses Association February 6 at the Livingston School. Table clinics covered the subjects of operative dentistry, perio dontal disease, nutrition, exodontics, radi ology, pedodontics and orthodontics. The chairman of the committee spoke briefly to the nurses about dental decay
During February Maj. Frank R. Landolfe Inspected the teeth of the 3,700 children enrolled in the post schools at Fort Ord, Calif. Each child was given an examination sheet to take home to. his parents, indicating any professional dental treatment needed. A dental health ed ucation program extending through M ay has been planned in cooperation with school offi cials at Fort Ord.
148/880 • THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
Maj. Phillip Bleicher and Maj. G eorge Kuttas, junior residents in the general dentistry residency program, were among the dental officers at Fort Hood, Tex., who presented a career counseling program at the Killeen High School, Killeen, Tex., the evening of February 4. Films were shown, and there was a general question-and-answer period. Then the boys and girls went to the various counseling tables to discuss other questions with the dental officers. Arrangements for the program were made with the high school's guid ance counselor. Approximately 40 students, some of them accompanied by their parents, attended.
and its prevention, emphasizing home and professional care as well as fluoridation of water supplies and topical application of fluorides.
In the schools of Blackhawk County, Iowa, a copy of a letter to parents from the Waterloo Dental Society was sent home with each of the more than 20,000 children in kindergarten through grade 6. The school nurses and officials of both public and parochial schools cooperated with the society in making the arrange ments. The letters (addressed to “Dear Par ents” ) listed the rules for good dental health and stressed the importance of a child’s retaining his deciduous teeth for as long as nature intended. A drawing and the slogan for National Children’s Dental Health Week were placed at the top of the letter. In Effingham County, III., all the first and second grade pupils— 1,200 of them -— in 25 schools were given toothbrushes and dental health education literature by the dentists in the county. Nurses in the Effingham County Health Department gave demonstrations of proper toothbrushing methods to the youngsters and
showed them dental health education movies. In San Diego, Calif., sixteen professional and commercial groups cooperated to present a three-day exhibit in Mission Valley Center, a shopping center in San Diego. The outdoor displays were de signed primarily to acquaint the public with the specialized training of dental hygienists, assistants and laboratory tech nicians, as well as with the products den tists use in their practices. Taking part in the program were the San Diego County dental hygienists’, den tal assistants’ and dental laboratory soci eties and 13 commercial firms making dental products. A dentist was named by the dental society to coordinate the proj ect with professional and commerical representatives and the management of the Mission Valley Center. In Battle Creek, Mich., a window dis play in a downtown store was centered on the dental society’ s recent mouthguard project (steps involved, models, technics and materials). The heading which was used for the display was “Your Dental Society and Schools Through the Mouth guard Program Work to Protect Their Smiles.”
Dentists in Passaic County, New Jersey, presente table clinics for students in two junior high schools W a yn e and two high schools in Paterson. Subjec covered were operative dentistry, nutrition, orthodo’ tics and roentgenography, endodontics and oral su gery. Small, informal groups of students rotated fro table to table, listening and, the dentists report, "as ing some very intelligent questions."
REPORTS OF COUNCILS AND BUREAUS . . . VOLUME 66, JU N E 1963 • 149/881
In West Virginia the Wheeling District Dental Society put posters in all the dis tribution centers for the Sabin oral polio vaccine in the county two weeks before the dental health week. While the posters were on display, 47,438 persons received the vaccine. STATE PROGRAMS
In Delaware, the division of oral hygiene of the Delaware Board of Health sent a letter to all school superintendents and principals in the state with a few sugges tions for dental health week programs. The suggestions covered visual aids, as sembly programs, science classes (an offer of assistance to students planning dental projects) and the school newspaper. Re ports received by the board of health in dicate that nearly all schools in Delaware observed the dental health week in some way. In Pennsylvania, the dental health edu cation and public information committee of the Pennsylvania Dental Association sent to all local chairmen in the state a booklet called “ Children’s Dental Health Week in Pennsylvania.” The booklet listed television stations using dental health education films or slides of the dental health week poster; radio stations using spot announcements or a record with five dental health pro grams; outdoor advertising agencies and the number of posters sent to each; the proclamation of dental health week by Governor Scranton ; a sample letter thanking cooperating agencies for their help, and a questionnaire on the booklet to be returned to the state association office. The Georgia Dental Association and its council on dental health presented cita tions to 47 communities in Georgia that are fluoridating their water supplies. The covering letter read, in part: The fluoridation of your public water supply is a magnificent contribution to the citizens of your community, and the Georgia Dental Asso ciation wants you and the public to know that
W a lly Moon, Dodger star and honorary dental health week chairman for Los Angeles County, declares winners of Smile of the Year program, Marlene George and Kit Azlein. Naming the widely known athlete as honorary chairman helped get extensive newspaper and radio publicity.
we have recognized your community as one of the most progressive in the state. We also feel that it is most fitting to present you with this citation during the 15th National Children’s Dental Health Week, February 3-9. As you know, the children in your community will benefit throughout life because you have given them this health protection. O T H E R PROGRAM S
The Cleveland Dental Society planned two pilot study programs in the suburbs to evaluate the effectiveness of decentral izing its original Children’s Dental Health Day party and to encourage wider com munity cooperation. In Fairview Park more than a thousand children and adults attended a dental fair held in the junior high school gymnasium. Posters entered in a contest sponsored by the dental society were exhibited at this
150/882 • THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
The Third District Dental Society in Chattanooga, Tenn., presented electric toothbrushes to representa tives of several handicapped children's groups or classes as a part of its dental health week program. Shown at a ceremony at Siskin Rehabilitation Center are, left to right, Kenneth Shipley, Mrs. Billie J o Shirk, Kathy J o Shirk of Avondale School United Cerebral Palsy Center; Valerie Lewis of Brainerd Senior High School multiple handicapped class; Mrs. Hazel Burns of the Siskin Foundation, and Kimberly Combs (in chair) of the child study program for handicapped at Siskin Center.
fair. There were 4,000 entries in the poster contest and 50 entries in the dental exhibit contest. Dentists in the area con structed a permanent dental exhibit which can be transported easily. It will be used in the nine schools in Fairview Park and will be lent to other districts on request. The superintendent and other school officials endorsed all the projects, which were sponsored by the Exchange Club. In Euclid more than two thousand children and their parents attended a pro gram of education and entertainment at a high school. Awards were presented to winners of the poster contest, in which there were 4,000 entries. According to dental society officials, some posters of exceptional quality were submitted by blind children and by retarded children. The service clubs in Euclid all became interested in the program. The Exchange Club, Jaycees, Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary contributed financial support. In addi tion, some of their members participated in the program at the high school. The
superintendent of schools endorsed the project and cooperated with the dentists. In Rhode Island, junior and senior high school students from all over the state were invited to the Joseph Samuels Dental Clinic in Providence for a pro gram directed to boys and girls who might be interested in careers in dentistry or dental hygiene. The clinic staff cooperated with the Rhode Island State Dental Society and Society of Dentistry for Children in pre senting the program. Members of the women’s auxiliary and of the state dental assistants’ association acted as guides. The students arrived by bus at sched uled intervals so that each group had time to observe and to ask questions. The boys and girls were taken on a tour of the clinic facilities to watch dental procedures in the clinics. Informal talks on various aspects of dentistry were given by dentists. An orthodontist spoke briefly on bad habits that can lead to malocclusion. Plaster models were used to show how proper dental treatment can correct mal formation of teeth and jaws. In two cities in Iowa, Cedar Rapids
This photograph was published in the Tribune Chronicle, Warren, Ohio. Caption read: "W orking on models from which mouth protectors are made are Miss Etta Keith (left) and Mrs. Helen Shelar, dental hygienists for the W arren city schools. The schools will observe the 15th National Children's Dental Health W e ek this week, February 3 to 9. Jam es E. Young, school dental adviser, said the mouthpieces should prevent about 99 per cent of all dental football injuries."
dedicated to the public welfare, rather than a “ bunch of dentists” pushing for better dental health and perhaps more patients. It is interesting to note that requests for speakers started flowing in before NCDHW and have continued after NCDHW . Our exec utive board has moved to repeat this letter annually in the expectation that a long-term result will be even more rewarding. A R M Y PROGRAM S
A page of pictures, under the heading "Dental Hygiene and Its Application in Ithaca," was published in the February 2 issue of the Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, N.Y. The picture story concerned the dental hygiene program in the schools. This photograph is of the supervising dentist, George Visnyei, showing tooth structure to young pupils. Exhibits such as this, the caption explained, tend to encourage pupils to realize the importance of talcing care of their teeth.
and Davenport, results of surveys showing the benefits of fluoridation to children’s teeth were released during the dental health week. Both cities began their flu oridation programs in 1952. In Maryland, the dental health com mittee of the Southern Maryland Dental Society had a booth at the Prince Georges County Fair last summer. Purpose: “to demonstrate a sincere interest in the pub lic by informing them of who we were and of our intention to be helpful to them as people.” This exhibit was followed up by a let ter to more than a thousand schools, churches, civic and fraternal organiza tions. The letter said that the society is eager to cooperate with any group or in dividual interested in promoting the health of the community. Information was given on how to obtain speakers for interested groups. The chairman of the dental health committee for the Prince Georges section of the society said: It is our belief that we have increased our visibility in the community as professional men
Numerous army posts in the United States and abroad carried out dental health week programs. Dental officers in many posts abroad gave topical fluoride applications to dependent children. In this country, dental officers spent many off-duty hours working on dental health week programs, in some cases in schools not on posts which are attended by the children of army personnel. Here are a few of the programs: At the Sacramento Signal Depot, Sac ramento, Calif., a week-long open house was held at the dental clinic. Throughout the week notices in the daily bulletin urged parents to bring their children to the dental clinic for a visit. The same in vitation was added to the dental health week posters placed in the mess hall, the
Arnold Kocsis, president of the Detroit District Dental Society, explains an exhibit to Susie Sellers, 4, and her brother Kenneth, 7. Some 6,000 children and parents attended the Children's Dental Health Day party in Detroit, on February 10. Because of the number of requests for tickets, two shows, instead of the one originally planned, were put on.
Looking things over— Nine-year-old J o Ann Der, fourth grader, Thomson Elementary School, Washington, has her teeth inspected by Sidney Greenspan, president elect, D.C. Dental Society; Mrs. Robert Montgomery, nurse, assists. All the children at Thomson Elementary School had their teeth checked during Children's Dental Health W e ek last February. The week-long observance was sponsored here by the D.C. Dental Society. Youngsters were instructed on dental hygiene at the time.
post exchange and the dispensary waiting room. Dispensary personnel were asked to urge all parents to attend the open house with their children. As the dentist was not always immedi ately available, because of his regular pa tient schedule, auxiliary personnel were briefed to greet visitors with an invita tion to observe the facilities. The dentist scanned each child’s mouth and in gen eral terms gave the parents an idea of the child’s dental needs, with a suggestion that they get in touch with their local dentist. The doctor also provided infor mation on fluoridation, topical applica tion of fluoride and fluoride tablets. Par ents were given disclosing tablets for their children to use, as an incentive for better toothbrushing. About a hundred children visited the clinic during the week. They were, ac cording to the dental officer, wonderfully cooperative and interested, particularly when family groups came in. “ Parents,”
he said, “ seemed to benefit by having the children’s dental defects pointed out to them and their needs explained. At this time, we have received reports that sev eral of these groups promptly obtained dental appointments for their children after their visit to our clinic. More en couraging, each person who understood dental needs and the preventive outlook will come in contact with others, and one believer makes another. It was a reward ing week.” At Fort Hood, Texas, four cub scout packs, approximately 140 boys, made field trips to the post dental clinic during the dental health week. The boys were taken on tours of the dental facility in groups of 15. Dental officers showed the youngsters dental instruments and methods of re storing teeth, materials used to restore teeth and the value of roentgenograms and discussed some of the scientific prin ciples on which dentistry is based. Then the dentists told the children about the value of maintaining good dental health through correct toothbrushing methods, diet, periodic dental examinations and fluoridation. The boys were encouraged to ask questions. Because patients were present in the
Paul Starkey, chairman of the child dental health com mittee, Indianapolis District Dental Society, appeared with Barbara Kay on Kindergarten College, Station W L W I-T V , Indianapolis, Ind.
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Thousands of spectators, Including most of the govern ment officials and representatives, saw the booth set up at the Prince Georges County Fair last summer by the dental health education committee of the South ern Maryland Dental Society. In the booth are Edward M. Barnett, chairman of the dental health committee, section for Prince Georges, and Roseanne Carroll and Karen Smith, dental assistants. "O u r pur pose," Dr. Barnett says, "was to demonstrate a sincere interest in the public by informing them of who we were and of our intention to be helpful to them as people."
treatment facility during the field trips, the cub scouts had the opportunity of actually seeing the procedures that had been discussed. One of the field trips was filmed for television. The film was shown on the Fort Hood “ Post Time” show February 9, on Station K C E N , Waco-Temple, Texas. At the Aschaffenburg Officers’ Open Mess, a luncheon was arranged for army dental officers and German dentists, in-
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cluding a public health dentist. During a three-hour discussion the Americans showed the materials they have to work with, and the public health dentist pre sented the German dental health program in the Aschaffenburg area. Commenting on the luncheon, the com manding officer of the 92d Medical De tachment, a dentist, said: Many excellent ideas were exchanged at this meeting, and it proved stimulating to both Americans and Germans. The thoroughness of the German school program was surprising to most of the American dentists. Insurance health groups furnish the schools with many graphic aids for the teachers to present to the students. Dental treatment for the German children is not mandatory; however, strong measures appeared to be utilized to get the child to a dentist when the examining dentist in the school noted any dental defects.
In Stuttgart, Germany, more than a hundred children wrote thank-you letters to dentists who spoke in the American schools there. One of them said: “Thank you for coming. I think your talk Was interesting and the class learned a lot. I hope you enjoyed yourself. “The part I like is when we talked about what the different parts of your tooths do. I liked it because when I grow up I would like to be a dentist, dental as sistant or a nurse. When I go to get a check-up I hope to come see you.” Another youngster (who signed his let ter “Your friend, Herman” ) said: “ I think you are the best dentist in the whole world.”