FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tommy Johnson, DMD
(334) 206-5398
To conclude National Children’s Dental Health Month, the Oral Health Office of the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) announced the winners of its first annual smile photo contest open to third grade students in Alabama.
Two children, one girl and one boy, were selected from photo submissions as the overall winners of the “Share Your Smile with Alabama” campaign. Kerrigan Benn of Jacksonville and Haedyn Leverette of Montgomery were chosen as the contest winners. The pair of third graders will be spotlighted in ADPH marketing campaigns to promote children’s oral health in the state.
This year’s campaign slogan was “Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth for a healthy smile.” A healthy smile is important to children, both for their overall health and self-esteem. Cavities (also known as caries or tooth decay) are one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood in the United States. Untreated dental cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than other children.
State Dental Health Director Dr. Tommy Johnson said, “Educating children to form the habit of brushing and flossing, along with regular dental checkups, helps them keep healthy smiles. Dental decay is preventable, and we hope every parent will ensure that their children receive the oral health care their children need and deserve.”
The ADPH Oral Health Office is dedicated to preventing dental disease for Alabama's citizens by promoting and developing quality, cost-effective community and school-based preventive, educational and early treatment programs which emphasize elimination of oral health disparities.